RAILWAY PAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25083, 22 December 1944, Page 6

RAILWAY PAY

FIRST DIVISION CLAIMS REPLY BY DEPARTMENT (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Thursday The department's reply to the claims of the Railway Officers' Institute for a new salary schedule was presented to the Railways Industrial Tribunal today by Mr K. G. Reid, advocate for the department. Some adjustments to the salary scale for officers in the first division were justified, be said, and the desirability of submitting counter-proposals in response to the claims of the institute had been considered, but it bad been decided not to do so, because the disparity between the scale claimed by the institute and the scale which the department considered itself justified in suggesting was so wide that the department thought its scale would be regarded by the institute merely as a starting point from which it could clnim further increases. The department preferred to follow the course adopted in the wages claims by the second division organisations of authorising its assessor to discuss the matter at the appropriate stage of proceedings. System lor Promotion Mr Reid pointed out that the question of whether promotio.ii might be prescribed according to years of service was subject to the department's submission regarding the scope of the tribunal's jurisdiction. However, the making of such a recommendation bv the tribunal was opposed on its merits because of the difficulty of applying the principle in respect of employees other than clerical employees and because of the vital objection that if ihe, recommendation were given effect to it would cause the efficiency of the service to deteriorate. The cost of the innovation, added to other improvements in salaries and conditions throughout the service, might cause users of'the railways to pay higher freights and fares to keep men in positions which were not worth the salaries. General Manager's Attitude Mr Reid said that the general manager desired to emphasise that no one was moro desirou" than he of having the claims dealt with free from technicalities. and he gave it as his unqualified opinion that justice could be done to all members and probationers of the first division within the jurisdiction of the tribunal merely by determination of scales of salaries appropriate to the existing grades and sub-grades. Some adjustment was desirable in tho salary scale for officers of long service in grade 6 in order to improve the morale of the service and therefore its efficiency. The method or amount would depe:id on consideration of the salary scale, as a whole. The cost of applying the salary rates contained in the claims to 2853 members and probationers at work in ihe department on _Apji! 1 would be approximately £407.850 n year. The tribunal will resume public sittings on January 8. FACTORY CONDITIONS USE OF CHILD LABOUR REPLY TO DR DAVIDSON (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday Referring to a recent .statement in Dunedin by Dr Davidson, in which he was reported to have said it was possible to employ a girl of 13 for up to 56 hours a week in a factory, the Minister ol Labour, Mr Webb, tonight said this statement was erroneous. Legislation had been passed this session to bring the Factories Act into line with the raising of the school age. which operated since February last, when the Education (School Age) Regulations came into force "Under the Act, permission for a boy or girl over 14 to work in a factory is issued only if the boy or girl holds a I certificate of exemption from school attendance, and is fit for employment," said the Minister. "No permission is now granted to any boy or girl under 14 to work in a factory. It is not lawful to employ any women or boys under 16 on overtime without first a warrant from the inspector of factories, and, if the inspector is of the opinion that an extension would be dangerous to health, he must refuse permission." Mr Webb said it was also incorrect to allege that our factory legislation was loss advanced than that of Britain. It was true the British Factories Act, passed just before the war, was a great advance. In an address on industrial hygiene to the Manufacturers' Association in Dunedin earlier this month, Dr J. M. Davidson, who i.s on loan by Britain to the New Zealand Health Department, stated that New Zealand's legislation was often too detailed, minute itemsswamping more important factors. The Dominion was less advanced in its factory legislation, and "general housekeeping" in its factories was disappointingly low. "No young person under 14 is permitted to work in a British factory, no matter what the circumstances." said Dr Davidson, "but in New Zealand it is possible to employ a girl of 13 for up to 56 hours. That is not leading the world, and if is not good enough." There was a common tendency in the Dominion to blame the war for the conditions he had met. but English standards had not been lowered one iota on that account. TAXIS IN ROTORITA (0.C.) ROTORITA, Thursday A taxi roster system, with a central office, is to be established in Rotorua oil trial during the holidays. Tn bringing forward the proposal, the Works Committee of the Borough Council stated that the system would benefit both the taxi proprietors and the public. A central bureau would be open at night from 7 o'clock and a night taxi stand arranged.