RAILWAY SERVANTS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12729, 12 April 1904, Page 2

RAILWAY SERVANTS.

[PiIESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Monday. Speaking to-day to a deputation from the Amalgamated Society of Railway ' Servants, the Minister for Railways said that with regard to the statement as to tho bulk of the employees having l>ooii jockeyed out of their right to vote for coming under the Conciliation ami Arbitration Act it was dearly understood from the first that only tho workshops section was to vote, and this was alt that the society wanted. With regaid to the. withdrawal of first class railway passes for second division men when on transfer, the Minister staled that this privilege had been abused in tile past, and the department must soo (hat those who paid for first class accommodation got it. With regard to steerage passages for the same men when on transfer the Minister said he would sec to that, which was taken to mean that saloon passages would lx* re-stored. Out of a hundred odd recommendations tho deputation specially commended to the Minister the demand for a 48 hours week and for higher wages for the lower • paid men. The Minister promised to look into these ami other demands. He denied that tho department had by political influence promoted labourers above the heads of porters who had worked through the grades. The meeting of tho Minister and the employees concluded with the expression of mutual good wishes.