THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 133, 28 February 1908, Page 8

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

AMALGAMATED SOCIETY'S CONFER-. ENCE. " ; The -biennial~ conference of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants commenced its session in the. Hall, Lambton: , Quay, - yesterday morning.' Present Tho Prosident (Mr. James: Walker), Mr. ■W. J. - Ethvards (general. sccretarv) , and the following. delegates Messrs. 'Mack and Beck, Aucklandj'Orawford; Napier; Lee and Mooro 'Wellington j and Wilson, Palmcrston Noith.,-. Veitch aiid Smith, AVanganui ■ Dawson and- Cameron, Christchurch; Robertson, Timaru; M'Nab, Oamaru; Hanrahaii arid Barry, Dunedin; Thomas and Hutchiiis, Invorcargill; , O'Donnoll 'and Witham;' West Coast._ ''. : The'biennial report stated that , the membership of, the society" is 5856, as against •1003 two years .ago,-or an.increase of 1853; ; Membership of the death fund has decreased in tho same' period from 325 to ,152, aiidprobably before the advent of next conference it will havo passed out of existence. A total of 196 members upon, the fund have died since its inception; The period under review . has . been,- a /record one for , the - establishment. of new branches, no less than eight having- been 1 opened,' namely, Upper Hutt, AVaipukurau," Woodville; Frankton; Masterton, Hawera, ' Taihape, and' PaeVoa. The practical work of- tho society has been exceedingly' successful m the' direction of improving 'service -conditions..' '•••-•

; Prior to .the- assembling- of the last session of Parliament. the executive submitted certain requirements' as to. increases in pay > to the "Minister .for - Railways, v and. tho thanks of tho ' members ofthe service are due to the Premier, .Sir 'Joseph Ward, for the very liberal manner in which ho mot,the society. Among the items dealt 'with by.tlie'executivo, apart' from the improvem°>.ts in the Classifi,cation Act,, may be mentioned the successful levelling up. in a greater' measure -of 'the Manawatu Company's" men to tho wage enjoyed by the Government men. The early merging of -this _ private lino into tLe 'Stateowned railways is: anticipated. ' The. president, in his inaugural address, recounted the work done by tho executive and reviewed the.position of the society. A .large number of detailed matters affecting the working of the railways were then dealt with. The conference will be resumed to-day.