WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13831, 18 August 1908, Page 5

WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS.

WAGES OF EMPLOYEES. A PROBABLE SETTLEMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS association.] Wellington, Monday. After months of negotiation a settlement of the dispute between the Tramways Employees' Union and the City Council appears to be in sight. The union has practically decided to accept the conditions laid down by the Tramway Committee of the Council with one minor exception. The proposals will shortly be submitted to the City Council for confirmation, and it is anticipated that the dispute will be brought to a close within the next week or two. The original demands of the union meant to the Council an increased expenditure of upwards of £8000 per annum. They have not all been acceded to, and in no instance has the existing rate of pay been reduced, but in several instances important advances, involving a considerable increase in the cost of running the tramways, are proposed. The only point on which a difference of opinion exists is with respect to trackmen. The union asked that they be paid Is per hour. At the present time they are earning £2 5s ordinary time, and are working four hours overtime on Sundays at time and a-half rates, bringing their total earnings up to £2 lis. The extra, cost to the City Council of placing the wage at Is would be 19s 7d per week, or £50 18s 4d per annum for the 10 linesmen. A difficulty which presented itself with regard to clerks, timekeepers, and night foreman ha* been obviated by excluding them from the agreement, and permitting them to come in on the City Council staff. First-class motormen are to receive Is l£d per hour, and many second-class men are to be promoted. Second-class motormen will get Is Id per hour, and third-class motormen 11£ per hour. Car equipment adjusters will receive Is Id (an increase of Id), man employed at controller work Is l£d (a.n increase of |d), linesmen Is 3d, power-house firemen Is 2d (leading man Is 3d), greasers Is 2d, " handymen'' Is 2d, electricians Is 6d, wiremeai Is 4d (increases of 3d a.nd Id respectively), fitters Is 4id (increase of Ud), engine smiths Is 4d (an increase of |d), engine smith strikers Is Id (an increase of Id), car cleaners Is, emergency linesmen £3 5s per week of seven days, pointsmen £2 15s per week of seven days, power-house trimmers Is per hour. TRAMWAY TRAFFIC. AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. From .Auckland an Wellington resident has written to the Wellington Post to find out whether Auckland or Wellington tramways carry the greater number or passengers in 12 months, having regard to population. Figures prepared for the Post by the local tramways staff seem to show that a slightly greater percentage of population travels on the cars in Auckland, and that they pay more money for each mile that they ride. The figures in regard to Auckland for the year ended December 31, 1907, are as follows: — Traffic returns, £137,718. ' Total revenue, £140,451. Passengers carried, 22,474,537. ' The Wellington year is from April 1 to March 31, but for purposes of comparison the period is similar. A return regarding Wellington shows that the number carried was about one million less than the Auckland record, while the average cost of a ride, in Wellington was less per mile than the Auckland rate. The * ; -"ires are: — Traffic returns, £118,441. Total revenue, £122,994. Passengers carried, 21,329,758.