WHAT HAPPENED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1243, 27 September 1911, Page 5

WHAT HAPPENED.

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES: RENTS AND WAGES. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, September 2G. In the House of Representatives recently Mr. Pearco M.P., for Paloa, referred to tho rents of railway employees' cottages being raised when their wages were raised. To this tho Prime Minister replied: "That's not correct; it's ono of tho usual misrepresentations." Ono of the men has now written to tho "Herald" as follows:—"When the tablet system was established on tho line south of Auckland tho men were engaged at a given rale of pay, and in consideration of long hours and occasional overtime were provided with cottages rent free. Just about three years ago, prior t'o last election, tho wages of these men were ostensibly raised to the amount of 19s. 6d. per month. But what else happened? Immediately they were debited with l!)s. Gd. per month as house rent, thus leaving them apparently with the same cash income as before, but they actually now receive less cash becauso their contributions to tho superannuation fund are taxed on tho larger amount Anyone wishing to verify the above i statement for himself'can do so by asking any tablet man at any of tho flap: stations. I quite agree with Sir Joseph Ward; it is one of tho nsua! misrepresentations—but' on whoso, side?"