ANOTHER UNION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 68, 17 September 1925, Page 9

ANOTHER UNION

OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

The Railways Committee of the House of Representative* has recommended that the amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act enabling the New Zealand Railway Trades Unions' Association to register under the Act if it desires should be passed' unaltered. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and the Engine-driv-ers, Firemen's; and Cleaners' Association have the right to register. Mr. L. M'llvride (Napier) said in the House of Representatives yesterday that the A.S.RJS. should be the one body controlling the interests of men engaged in the.railway service.

Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) congratulated the Reform, Party on the success which they had achieved in breaking up the various branches of the service into factions. "■ If the Reform Government's policy iwas pursued, they -would have the .guards,.: the shunters; and other sections of the service forming separate organisations. That would not be for the benefit of the country. He had no doubt that,the amendment would go through, but he hoped that the time« would come when the railwaymen would have one organised body. The' Prime Minister (the Hon. J. G. Coates) said that the statement by the last speaker that the Government had been successful in breaking up the railway service was rather an exaggeri-. tion., The Government did not desire to do anything of the sort. He did sayj however, that when men whom he knew to be first-class men and whose opinions .were worth: listening to came to him he had to listen to them. He knew the thin end. of the wedge would be used, and that it would be said that all branches' of tradesmen in the' workshops would have to be granted separate.recognitiori, but that was ah exaggeration. He had given an undertaking: to the men that they would be given recognition, and he would have to ask members to consider ; thp mntter very carefully before they thouijht, of the clause. All the. men desired; was that they should have the right'to approach the board and the 'Minister, and to have the advantage of tho Arbitration Act.,.. ■■;;'. -.-.' :" .;.■ ..•.•.■.■■ ••.-.. '