ENGINE-DRIVERS'

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15513, 14 February 1916, Page 5

ENGINE-DRIVERS'

CONFERENCE

FEDERATION OF RAILWAY SOCIETIES.

REGISTRATION UNDER ARBITRATIOX ACT.

The Conference of the Xew Zealand Locomotive Engine-drivers'. Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association resumed on Saturday morning.

R-egarding a telegram received the previous day from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, asking if the Association was willing to discuss the question of one big union, it was decided to reply that the Grand Council of the Association was willing to discuss the question of federation at a round-the-tab!e confercnce with two or three representatives of each railway society. -The A.S.R.S. was asked to arrange a date for the proposed conference. It was moved:—"That this Grand Council of the N.Z.L.E.F. and C. Association is in favour of coming under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. and decides to take a vote of all members; and when Mr McCombs brings down his amendment to the Act to prevent the formation of bogus unions, it decides to petition Parliament, for the right of registration." There was a lengthy discussion, several delegates expressing the opinion that the present method of representing grievances is very unsatisfactory. Complaints were put before tlx? Department, which sometimes replied in three months' time, and usually refused the Requests made. The motion was unanimously agreed to. It was dccided to endeavour to obtain passes for Now Zealand railwaymen when travelling in New South "Wales: that the Superannuation Fund be used for loaning money to members of the Railway Service at current rates of interest; and that the Department be asked to select men for night foremen of cleaners, and to pa.y them a special wage commensurate with the responsibility of the position. At noon the Conference adjourned till this morning.

SMOKING CONCERT,

THE QUESTION OF INCREASED PAY.

On Saturday night at Freeman's Cafe, the delegates to the conference were entertained at a smoking concert. Mr E. W. Henderson, the president, was in the chair, .and amongst those present were the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Geo. Witty, M.P., Dr. Thacker, M.P., and the Mayor (Mr H. Holland). The Department was represented by Messrs 0. C. Smith (locomotive foreman), J. Cameron (assistant loconjptivo foreman), and J. Grant (chief traffic manager's clerk). Apologies were received from the Hon. W- H. Herries, Minister of Railways,'Mr E. H. Hiley, general manager, the assistant-general manager, the chief mechanical engineer, the locomotive engineer, Addington, and the depot chargeman, Christchurch. The toast of "The King" was honoured. Mr J. A horn, in proposing "The Parliament of New Zealand." referred "to the able manner in which the Government and Parliament had conducted the business of the country, and responded to the call of Empire by doing more in the matter of sending men in proportion to the size of the Dominion than any other nart of the Empire. It would have been noted that conference had passed a resolution asking for an increase in wages immediately, if possible. At the beginning of the war they* determined to remain loyal, and still were loyal, but the increased cost of living necessitated that 4hcir earnings should bo augmented. After great deliberation the only way they could see cut of the difficulty was to make a demand on the Government for a war bonus of one shilling a day. Another resolution arrived at regarding increased wages was simply a re-affirma-tion of a resolution of the previous conference. He hoped that the Government would lend a sympathetic ear to their request. The users of the railways were making additional -profits, and they considered that the Government, by increased rates, should obtain some portion of these, and pass some i of it on to them.

The Hon. G. W. Russell, in responding, referred to the part he took in assisting to get Parliamentary recognition of the Enginedrivcrs'. Firemen's and Gleaners' Association, and expressed his gratification that the Association had taken its place amongst the unions "that were listened to and whoso arivieo was regarded. He felt sure that the representations to he mado as the outcorfie of tho conference would be very carefully • listened to by tho Cabinet. (Applause. - ) He was not in a position to commit the Minister of Railways in regard to their proposals, neither could he promise them that he would support those proposals when placed before the Government. A Voice: Why not? Mr Russell: "Simply because, if I d.> so, I should bo forced right out of the Cabinet at the first meeting held." Continuing, ho said that he did not go back one iota from the principles ho had always held, that the workers of the Dominion, whether in private or State employ, were entitled to something more than a living wage. (Applause.) Since, the war hegan the prices of commodities in common use had enormously increased, and he considered that they wero justified in asking for some recognition from the Government- from that point of view. (Applause.) He congratulated the proposer oil the moderate tone of his speech, and said that he thought that he had stated the case with judicial fairness and moderation. He was pleased he had done so. because when they were passinrr through such a crisis as the present one, no good was to be gained bv strong language. They had to depend on the strength of their arguments, rather than on strong language. Referring to the work of the National Cabinet, he said that the sincere desire of its members was to see that. New Zealand fulfilled the full measure of its

responsibilities. (Hear, hear.) He was

not prepared to say that there was not ram for criticism, and for well-found-ed criticism, with regard to some of the actions of the Government, iiecause any body of men must have some imnerfections. Referring to New Zealand's part in the war. he said that he recognised to the fullest extent the ■ snlendid work done by the raihvaymen of New Zealand, not only by the men fiom the service who had gone to the front, but also by the loyal devotion, long hour.s of service. and heroism displayed by those in the dominion, especially the locomotive drivm-s—men who had handled large bodies of soldie>« without a hitch and without an accident. (Applause.) Mr "Witty also responded, and said that he knew that railwaymen had grievances, but if any grievances were brought up that were not fair, he would turn them down like a shot. J?ailwayinen._ however, were not in the habit op bringine uj» grievances which were unfair. The members of the Railways Committee would try to do justice to the railwaymen. They were entitled to all that they conjd get, and no one knew better than he that, in view of the increased cost of living, they were not getting what they should got. Rc-

ferring to the Bill passed, as a matter of urgency, setting up a body to deal with the cost of living, he pointed out- ; that the body had not yet been set lip, and no one could blame the vailwaymen or the public for making complaints. What the lailwaymen had'to d:> was to see that they got a fair share ; of what was going, and they had to see that the other fellow did not get more ; than his share —as many were getting. ! He held that if there was to bo con- | scription of incn, there should ho con- i scription of wealth —not confiscation of i wealth, but wealth paying its fair i share. What was wanted was equality . of sacrifice; every man, rich or poor, i should do his duty. As for the wealth New Zealand, it would not he worth ; a snap of the fingers if Germany won; ; ccnFrequently wealth should do its duty j just as the railwaymen had done theirs, j Dr. Thacker, in responding, said that- if .railwaymen were not being paid the wage they ought to be paid, ho would pledge his honour that lie would see that they got it. Ho objected to the system of higlily-paid officials, an-1 had "no time" for £3000-men from the Old Country, when they had men in the Dominion, who could do the work equally well. While the cost of living had increased, the wages of railwaymen had stood still, and consequently they could not do justice to their families. Unless wages were increased, they must run into debt, and that was a wrong thing to do, if it could bo avoided. The Mayor, on behalf of the locomotive engine-drivers, firemen, and cleaners of the Dominion, presented Mr _S. Kennedy, ex-presiderit of the Association, with a gold watch, and a gold bangle for Mrs Kennedy. In tho course ot- some remarks, Mr Holland referred t;> the fact that engine-drivers did not earn as much as wharf labourers, though they discharged much more re- , sponsible duties. The demand for an ! extra shilling a day was just, in view o: the strenuous character of the engin e-driver's work. Mr Kennedy, in acknowledging the gifts, said that, when president, he had done his utmost for tho members of the Association, hut in view of the fact that the wharf labourer received Is 8d per hour for work done under the best conditions—during daylight—and the best nay received by engine-drivers was Is Sid per hour, he feared that his efforts and the efforts of those who had workc:J with him, had failed. Other toasts honoured were: — "Grand Councillors 1 ' (proposed by»-Mr G. Brown); "The Railway Management" (proposed by Mr C. C. Smith); and "Local Officers" (proposed by the vieo-president). Several musical and other items were given during the evening, and an orchestra, consisting of Messrs Brown, Withevs, Blytlie, and Scott, played several selections.