RAILWAY DISPUTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 228, 21 June 1920, Page 6

RAILWAY DISPUTES

FIRST DIVISION CASE,

The investigation of tho case of tha First Division men of the railway service by the Conciliation Committee entrusted with the .task is going on satisfactorily. It is just possible that tho committee will be in if position to repor i. to-day, Tout if not, then it is practical y certain that the report will be available to the Government to-morrow. This report, when received, will complete the inquiries concerning the pay and conditions of all classes of tho railway service. It is not yet known what procedure will be followed by the Goveminent when this report is received. It is possible that an' announcement may bo made as to the terms of settlement concluded by the three Provision is made, at least in the wu© of the A.S.R.S., and the locomotive men, for a reference of th finding hack to the members of the societies for their approval. beforo they are to consider themselves to be bound by the decision. Presumably the societies will deal with the proposals by way of a ballot. When the railway have been all settled tho Government intends to submit to a hoard of heads of Departments the scheme referred to by the Prime Minister some dnys ago for a revision of ail salaries of State servants, to rnise the pay of all branches, and to allocate the incrcnsoß to bo Bjyen on a fn'r basis, according to tlio value of tlio work done and tho experience and skill required l in the pei'tormanco of it. When that committee has dono its worlt,_ there mav be reclnfsiiication of tho service, in order to add to the salanes the bonuses agreed ii)X>n. The Post and relegrapn officers asked specially for this when they met the Prime Minister a few days ago, savin" that the flat rate bonus had i.ot been satisfactory to them in past experience. The increases will probacy ne dated back 'to April 1 in all cases. The locomotive men of the railway service havo asked that their increases be dated back to much earlier time, and the A.S.R.S. also desire to have their increases dated back beyond the beginning of the financial year.

A meeting of the Grey town Chamber of Commerce was held on Friday evening, when the Eimutakft deviation ouestion was dealt with. It was resolved. to write to/the chambers of commerce and progressive leagues in Carterton and Masterton, and ask thorn to meet hero on July 8 to discuss a course to adopt 111 interviewing tho Minister of I'™ lo Works, and to ask Mr. Mitchell, M.P., to give an address j also to enlist tho aid of tho Wairarapa and f' a jterton M.P.'s, and also those in Wellington so that a strong combined body shall get a definite answer from, the .Minister this most important subject. . Eketahuna is soon to havo a 6C Ptm tank installed, and the drainage system of tho town brought up x to "ptc. Ihc money is being raised under the Public Health Act, and the Health officers, who paid a visit of inspection last week, havo reported everything to be satisfactory.