TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 288, 29 August 1908, Page 5

TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS.

A "STRIKE MEETING" AT. AUCKLAND. (BY TELEGRAPH—I'II ESS ASSqOIATION.) . Auckland, August 28, The telegraph messengers in Wollington threatened to go out on strike' a few dayg ngo, and now the Auckland boys are feeling foro on tlio question of wages, It appears that several extra boys were taken on during ''Fleet Week," and wore paid at a rate equal to that received by regular messengers now in thoir second year of service. This the second-year boys, antl also the first-year boys, considered "a grave injustice," Under the classification scheme in foroe prior to April, the first-year toys received £26, and the- second-year boys £31, and that is . the rate paid since April, pending the passing of the vote by Parliament under the new classification ooming in on April 1; The new boys kept on after ''Fleet Week" come on at a scale of salary equal to that formerly allotted to seeppd-year 'boys, and thq older "hands," probably not properly understanding the situ* ption, felt much hurt. A "strike meeting" was, therefore, convened, and there' was a good muster of determined young Now Zealanders, who felt that no Government on earth was going to get an advantage of them, Rlld that if the Government' did not very quickly "shell out," the Telegraph Depart, jngnt would be faced with serious lapour troubles. One of the Department's officers, however, heard of the meeting and attended, He was able to smooth matters over in the meantime, and the bpys secured a promise pf new lockers, which they wanted, The ]ad§ seem yet hardly able to understand the position, and are awaiting pay day tp see what increases comq along," "