RAILWAYMEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 September 1924, Page 5

RAILWAYMEN.

THE RECENT INQUIRY

ALLEGED SUMMARY OF REPORT

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. A forecast of the report of the Railway Wages Board was recently circulated from Christchurch, and in the House this afternoon the Minister for Railways (Hon. J. G. Coates) was asked if this statement was correct.

Mr Coates said he was unable to say whether the alleged summary of the board’s; report recently published in th’e press, was a correct summary or not. When the report was available it would go to the department for its opinion on the general effect of the report on the Department, and as soon as that opinion, was formed then the report would come to him and then go on to Cabinet. It. was necessary that the Department should first give its opinion on the report, as this would greatly simplify subsequent discissions. Replying to another question, Mr. Coates said he had hoped that the commission appointed to inquire into, our general system of railways would have been able to commence their duties last month, but from information received he concluded that there was still some evidence to be taken in Australia. Under these circumstances, the members of the commission would evidently not be able to leave the Commonwealth as early as anticipated.