LOCOMOTIVE WORKS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 39, 16 February 1914, Page 2

LOCOMOTIVE WORKS

ALLEGED INJUSTICES. (UV TKI.EGIUPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ' CHRISTCHURCH; 15th Feb. At a smoke concert last night tendered by the local branch of the Locomotive Engine Drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association to the delegatesattending the association's annual conference, reference was made to the new regulations and the alleged injustices under which locomotive men laboured. Mr. Kennedy, president of the association, in proposing the toast, "Parliament," said that, whilst giving members of Parliament credit for sincerity in what they did, they frequently did things that he and others did not approve of. He might say that the railwaymen were not entirely satisfied with their members of Parliament, and they were not satisfied with the new railway regulations. Division I. had reason to be grateful for what was given it in the regulations. He did not begrudge the members of that division what they had got : he thought they had got nothing but justice. Apart from the extended "holidays, the new regulations scarcely in any way benefited Division 11. He referred to 'the provision made for lodging allowances. Prior to the amendment of the regulations the minimum allowance for Division I. was 6s, and for Division 11. the maximum was ss, with the exception of boilermakers. Under the new regulations the minimum of Division I. was increased to 7s 6d per night away from home. But tho maximum for Division 11. remained unaltered. The allowance for Division I. was only fair and reasonable. If one travelled over the Dominion and stayed at hotels, one stayed at a respectable one and did not search for the cheapest house, and one found that 7s 6d scarcely paid one's way. (Hear, hear.) One could not pay one's way on ss. Then there was sick pay. It was only fair that a man should have sick pay, but they found that while the sick pay of Division I. had been extended, Division 11. , whose members /jot no s i c k p A y ) vvefe s till lying in the same old ruck. Again, members of Division 1., when travelling by steamer, got an allowance, but in uivision 11. men got nothing. Mr. G. W. Russell, in responding, said he absolutely agreed with what had been said that the distinction drawn between the cost of living and the expenses of travelling of the two divisions was improper and undemocratic. Mr. G. Witty, M.P., said that on the Railway Committee members had protested against any differentiation between the branches of the service in regard to sick pay and holidays, and considered that all should be treated alike as much as possible. As to making the railways pay, they should not forget that the railways belonged to the people, and should not be run to create a dividend, but run for the people of the country, and those employed on the railways should get a fair share from the profits, and if there ■was any loss it was the country's benefit if everybody was benefiting.