RAILWAYMEN'S DISMISSALS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19979, 14 July 1930, Page 12

RAILWAYMEN'S DISMISSALS.

WEEK'S PAY PROPOSAL.

URGENT CONFERENCE CALLED.

[THE PBBBS Sped*! Service.]

AUCKLAND, July 13.

Special members of the Auckland branches of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants will be called together immediately official advice is received of the proposal of the Minister for Railways (Hon. W. A. Veitch)that the • men should give a week's work without pay. Mr J. Elliott, chairman of the Otahuhu and Newmarket divisions, said to-day that the matter would be treated as one of the greatest urgency. Commenting on Mr Veitch's proposal that a week's wage should be sacrificed by every man, from the general manager downwards, to be paid in to the fund to prevent an- further dismissals, Mr Elliott said that special consideration should be given to the basic wage men. These men, who were receiving £4 8s a week, were paying, as much as £1 a month, in some instances, to the superannuation fund and had also to meet sick benefiVaaion{»nd lodge-, fees. Further, some Jof them were keeping comparatively; large families and they would probably be compelled to ask ihe'grocer and batcher and others to forgo their: bills correspondingly for one week. As a leader of on© of the largest branches of- <the A.8.-R.S. in New Zealand, Mr Elliott made the constructive suggestion that if it was essential to curtail the expenditure of the Department, the men would favour a scheme under which everyone in constant employment throughout the service should contribute to an unemployment fond on a graduated scale according to salary. For instance, if 6d a week were collected from all men in receipt of £250 a year, Is from those with £3OO a year, and 6d additional for every increase of £SO upwards to the genera] manager, a sufficient fund would be accumulated from the 18,000 to enable the Department to find employment on at least several davs a week for the men already dismissed. The hardship would thus be spread over the whole of the employees and wonld not be materially felt by any particular section. "It will be my duty as soon as the secretary of the XS.R.S. receives written notification of the Minister's proposals to submit them to the employees," concluded Mr Elliott. "When we receive that, the question of consulting the men will be made a matter of extreme urgency." IN THE SOUTH. DELEGATES TO CONFERENCE. In connexion with the special conference of Tfcho general council of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants to be held in Wellington today to discuss the suggestion of the Hon. W. A..Veitch, Minister for Railways, Messrs M. Connolly. (traffic representative), E. Morrison (locomotive workshops representative), E. Dash (permanent way men's representative), and J. Fraser (representing the wav and works department, the electric lines and signal erectors) left for the north on Saturday night to be present at the conference. These men. represent the whole of the .South Island.

The conference will discuss the question as to whether the conditions are acceptable, and will meet the Minister to-morrow. No further consideration of the position, locally or elsewhere in the South Island, will take place until the case has been put before the Minister.

On Saturday a telegram was' received in Chrjstchurch stating that there would be no more dismissals in the meantime.. "That Bated a few men —some of them with 21 years' service;— who had never dreamed that they would be reached,'* said sn official yesterday. "The opinion of the eeneral division is." he added, "that important changes will be made, especially in the higher departments. It is thought that the district traffic manager will control each district instead of each Island superintendent. That is to be one of the contentions to be placed before the conference." ,

LABOUR APPRECIATION.

O?a»3S ASSOCWUO* MLWJKJJt.)

WELLINGTON, July 12. , Keen appreciation is expressed in Labour circles of the attitude the Minister for Railways adopted at the deputation yesterday. .***»* M&tJl gMM»toY conceded /that. the Minuter has shown sympathy with the £?R. l «J' whlbh L * ven tf not accept-