RAILWAYMENS' REQUESTS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 23 February 1916, Page 5

RAILWAYMENS' REQUESTS

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER;

BY TELEGRAPH—PKESS ASSOCIATION. Feb. 22. The Prime Minister was questioned to-uay oy a Tost reporter regaruing trie iacts or the deputation irom the Amalgamated (society ot Kailway teervants, who interviewed him last week. "in view or tne statements made by the secretary or the A.b.lt.S. or New Zealand" (whicn appear in our local columns to-day), replied Mr Massey, ''while 1 have no intention of at present discussing tne proposals made by two ueputu Lions (one irom the A.5.R.&.U., ana the other from the locomotive men),, to the Minister of Railways and myself, l think it is only right to say tnat members of both deputations expressed their opinion in a most friendly manner to the Minister and myself. There was no friction and no heat on either side, and nothing was said that could possibly be taken exception to. At the close of the meeting with the A.S.R.S. deputation, in response to their request ior an increase of wages, which, at one shilling per day, meant over £2UO,UUO per annum, 1 said, according to the shorthand report of the interview which was taken by my private secretary: 'This is a matter tor my Cabinet, and will be considered at the first meeting of the Cabinet, at which the Finance Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), the Minister for Railways (Hon. AY. H. Herries), and myself are present. I hope that it will be next week, but I cannot promise that definitely, because several Ministers will be away from Wellington on business.' ' 'Mr Mack then said: 'Can you give us a reply within a month from now?' I answereaT^Certainly.' "Then, at the conclusion of the interview between the locomotive men and some Ministers, I used these words: 'I want to make it perfectly clear that neither myself nor the Minister for Railways could commit the Government to increased expenditure. The request will be submitted to the Cabinet at a very early date, when the three Ministers principally concerned (Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Herries and myself) can be present."