RAILWAYMEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 June 1924, Page 9

RAILWAYMEN.

THE INQUIRY BOARD. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.’( WELLINGTON, June 19. In the three days’ argument before the Railway Inquiry Board, the three main claims relating to wages, hours and overtime have been disposed of, and now sixty or seventy odd minor classes, of A.S.R,S. demands are under consideration. To-day Mr. Sterling, for the department, submitted a counter-demand that surfacemen should always start and cease work at the same time. Tin’s, he said, would make tor greater efficiency in the service. He also offered an allowance ih lien of payment for travelling time. On behalf of the society, Mr. Connelly contended that the object- of the proposal was to get additional time out of the men. Opposing the request that casual qnarrymPn be paid full time for wet weather, Mr. Sterling denied that the men Mere; in any sense permanent hands, and said that they were ordinary labourers and were treated as such by the department. Mr. Connelly dealt at length with the necessity for .shunting gangs in yards to be composed of not less than three classified ehunters. It was also asked that where three or less men wre continuously employed in shunting operations they should be classified as shunters and paid accordingly.