THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 30 March 1931, Page 8

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

REDUCTION OF STAFF EFFECT OF ECONOMY MEASURES WELLINGTON. 27th March. There, will be further reductions in (he railway service shortly, when a large number of the members of the permanent staff in all departments wiil he retiring on superannuation on completion of over thirty-five years’ active service, reports Ihe Wellington correspondent of (lie Christchurch ‘‘Times.” The reduction of salaries and wages will cause a number of the long service traffic members and artisans in (lie workshops to tender (heir resignation. It is reported that' in the case of (lie higher paid officials in tlie various districts, the majority of those members who are within a .short pbrind of rv'tiroinent will lie retired with a view to making large reductions in the expenditure of the service.

REDUCING EXPENDITURE During the time (lie. Reform party was tin power, many increases Were made in the salaries of the administration staff and in (ho clerical division, and it is reported that with a view to effecting needful economy the Minister of Railways has decided that where officials drawing salaries obtained when the Railway Board had control of the service are retired, their successors will receive salaries equivalent to those paid some years ago. This will save a certain amount and with the proposed reductions expenditure on salaries will he more in keeping with the pre-war period. The whole of the district administrative officers will not be affected but only those whose positions were created when the Reform Minister appointed many of tlie district officers to grades by which they received considerable increases in salaries, altd many appointments were made that caused comment in the general divisions. It is stated that when some of the present officials holding these positions arc in _ turn promoted or are retired, the positions will lapse. The officials who are promoted to the vacancies that have to be filled will receive their grade increase as is the case in ordinary promotion, but with the reductions in salaries Hie increases will not he on anything like the previous scale. The members will lie promoted in seniority of grade, providing that they have been recommended for such promotion, and the service will bo carried on as" usual. RESIGNATIONS

The proposed reduction in salaries has caused a number of officials in the running sections to tender their resignations and several vacancies will he created sn the locomotive running staff, foremen, and senior drivers, who are within reach of the retiring age. These members will be in a better position now for superannuation than if they complete their full forty years. Foremen and guards with long service will also be retiring in many places and there will be numerous resignations in the workshops and maintenance departments. There have been several transfers recently in the general staff in the shops, and with the proposed resignations there will he furlh|r transfers to he made after the end of this month.