Railway Employees.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 115, 16 May 1890, Page 2

Railway Employees.

Wellington, May 15. An agitation has been going on among the railway employees for some time past, which threatens to culminate in a general strike. In fact there is an unensy feeling that tha men may possibly #n out on Sunday. The following- circular has been telegraphed by the Railway Commissioners to their staff : — " Railway Commissioners have just learned that a Society formed of the Government railway employees and others, the executive <■>£ which has recently been in communication with the Commissioner!?, is organising a strike, and is using its organisation to come between the Commissioners and the employees. The executive hive declined to promote a meeting between the repre •scntatives of the employees and the Com missionecs. The Commissioners desire that if the employees have grievances they should appoint delegates from among themselves to meet them and discuss the question. They warn the employees against acting on the orders of the executive of the Sooiety without first meeting the Commissioners openly, and fairly stating and discussing any matters they feel aggrieved at. The Commissioners are desirous of meeting the employees in a fair and liberal spirit." _ The following statement by the Commissioners has been placed at the disposal of the Press Association : —

" A correspondence has been and is still going on between the Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of railway servants and the Railway Commissioners about a meeting between the ConiraisHioners and the representatives of the railway servants to discuss any grievances that may exist. The _ Commissioners have offered every facility in their power to induce a meeting, but as yet without success. It now ap« pears that simultaneously with this cor respondenco the Secretary of the Society has aske 1 the railway servants to empower its Executive Committee to call out tho men on strike should the demands about boy labour; long hours, readjustment of wages, and piece work not be conceded. As to boy labour, out of the total staff of four thousand two hundred there was only about aix hundred boys and young men between the ages of 14. and 21 years (including ap prentices), and lads are only taken on in sufficient numbers to train for vacancies arising from resignations, deaths, &c. No boy labour has ever been taken on to supersede permanent men. As to long hours allowances are made for overtime either by extra pay or time off.

May 16. The Railway Commissior.era bdievj that tho u iwillingnes* of thj railway men l,u aani delegates to WelKi gv.ru. b-y confer personally with the CotnTjid-iionrtr >, may aria ■< fr.-.m fear that !hey will ba " mirk?d men." Thy repudi'i'e any suih ia eutiou, -md ex itaes a wi^h >'o deal as fairly by their eerviits as possible.

Cheistchurch, May 15, Mr W. J. Edwards, general Score ary to the Riilway Servants Sooiety of N w Zealand, sbatet with regard to cue rumour of a atr,ke on Sundiy nex', 4 'a at it cauio ba without foundation, Bsfor ; a B'.rik^ om t'.ko place grievances mus , according to the Soaie.y's rules, he submitted >o tli-i arbitration of persons appoin'ed t.y the Railway Oommiasionfrs and the Sooiety 00- jointly. Li tha e7ont of arbitration failing, the Execu'ive have to take a voto, and geo a thr<. e-fourJhs majority of all members of the Uaion in favour of striking. Anticipating trouble ir regard to the redress of tho grievances now •>eiag- referred to tha •■ ommis^irnsrß, ttie Esecu'iva aro tkiog a vot,,- of tho mnmb ro to ai'cartain if they wou.d bs prep»red to huipjrt oxurems mea3urcß in c>\ee all oth.r aiear.sf.ii, Ie will require at tenet a foraigbt to finiah tskinjy thia vot^\ and if the voto ia fiWourablu by a threo«fonri;hs m -jjrity to ex'.remi moasitree, the i?xecuivo will haveioß&isfy ihrunso'ves ra~ arbitration, or ot ec pacific m-'ana of s•' lio,; t.*e fiiffiju.iy have faild. If b.) ihey will bj abls to call out all or a poriion of ihe m-mberrt wit..ou.. takmg a fur her gen r<*l vot!\ The Executive are taking v vote tn >rely to s'r-idgi..\ea ihoir jjosi i id, and havo not me lsasb idea thct a Birike will take .nac.\