THE RAILWAY SERVANTS CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8541, 22 July 1893, Page 5

THE RAILWAY SERVANTS CONFERENCE.

INTERVIEW WITH THE COMMIS-

SIONERS.

(raSSS ASSOCIATION T*__-»RA-I.)

WELLINGTON, July 2L

At the Railway Conference this moraiag a letter was read from the Commissioners stating that they would meet the delegates at 3 p.m. to-day. A further suggestion was forwarded to the Commissioners, viz., that provision be made in the Bill to provide that any contributor leaving the service may continue his payments providing for benefits under the Bill after he has left the service, but he shall not participate in the subsidies, if any, of the Bill.

A deputation from the Railway Conference waited on the Commissioners yester* day. Mr McKerrow said the Commiamissioners had very carefully considered the suggestions submitted by the delegates, and Mr Maxwell wc>uld give a reply to each in detail.

Mr Maxwell stated that generally young employees were on a different basis in respect to the Bill than the elder employees. Young entrants iuto the service would pay a reasonable contiibution for the benefits granted, nut any employee over twenty years of age was getting a considerable advantage, increasing according to the age of the employee. For example, in the case of a man 'aged forty, his contributions were exactly one half of what they would be at the a<e for the same benefits in any insurance office. Respecting the alteration to section 3it was unnecessary. Intermittent or continuous service would under the present clause be counted ; that is, men who were out on strike, or who, when work was slack, were temporarily discharged, would have all their previous time counted in. Compulsory allowances ro section 5, sub-section— The proposal would seriously affect the financial position, and waa not advisable. Sick pay —The Commissioners were prepared, if this Bill became law, to extend the existing privileges regarding sick |»y to all employees. Section B, sub-section 2—They were prepared to grant as follows:—Any employee who has already an increased policy to the amount cf twelve months' pay may contribute for retiring allowance only. Respecting a contribution of 25 per ceut, Mr Maxwell pointed out that the present employees would receive considerable advantages, and the Com* missioners could not recommend this. They were prepared to accept the proposal to -reduce the retiring age to sixty years, particularly seeing that the Civil Service Bill provided for retiring at that age. They could not accept the proposal to retire at fifty-five. Tbe proposal to allow the present employees to contribute for increased benefits was objectionable, but for men newly joining it might be desirable. They could not accept the pro* posal to strike out clause 14, section 12. The proposals were thought to be unnecessary. Re the Board of Advice, eliminating the sick pay from the Bill did away with the necessity for many rules and regulations, and hs thought the Board quite unnecessary. Ac. counts would be published annually, there* fore it would be available to all. As it was unlikely there would be any bonus, but quite the opposite for a long tune to come, tbe proposal to allow contributors to elect how their bonuses maybe dealt with was unnecessary. The proposal to keep their benefits was objectionable.

The Conference meets again to-morrow to consider the Commissioners' reply.