UNITED FARMERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 8

UNITED FARMERS

AUCKLAND ACTION WAIKATO LEADER'S STAND (0.c.) HAMILTON. Friday A resolution condemning the action ot Mr fi. Al. Rusliworth, president of the Auckland provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Onion, and others in incorporating the United Farmers' Federn.tio. (Auckland Province), and calling upon them to resign their official positions, passed by the Waikato sub-provincial executive, came before the Auckland provincial executive on Wednesday. A resolution asking the Auckland executive to take similar action was proposed by Mr H Johnstone, president of the Wuikato executive, but he found only on supporter. The motion *vas rejected in favour of another to the effect that Mr Rushworth's action was one for the provincial conference and not for the executive to deal with. Mr Johnstone's reaction to the Auckland executive's attitude was to resign as u member. It) a statement todayMr Johnstone said he was convinced that the rank and .ile of the nembers of the Farmers' Union in the Waikato ivishe. 1 to see a Doin ion-wide federation formed. He added that lie had been forced to the conclusion that the Auckland executive, in refusing to dissociate itself from the action of Mr Rushworth, showed a lack of appreciation of the need to support and bring into being immediately a single-unit organisation. It appeared also that the Auckland executive was completely out of touch witb the members of the union. Mr Johnstone said ho accordingly found his position as a member of the Auckland executive to be untenable, as ho considered the formation of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand to bo of the utmost- importance In order to carry out the wishes ol the Waikato executive without obstruction, he had formally severed his 'connection with the Auckland executive and would report on the whole matter at a special meeting of the Waikato executive to be held on January IH. RAILWAY TRAFFIC HOLIDAY RUSH STARTS QUEUES WAIT AT STATION The spell of comparative quietness experienced at the Auckland Railway Station in the last few days was shattered yesterday when crowds of travellers thronged the main hall of the station from the times of departure of the earliest expresses to the last. Long lines of people were to be seen at the luggage booking office and the reserves office all through the day. Patient queues stood round the platform barriers waiting to gain admittance long before each express was due to leave. It is estimated that in all there were over 4000 people who were passengers on express trains to all parts of the country. This figure does not include the many who travelled on .slower trains. Although there was no overcrowding as each train left Auckland, it was expected that in some areas trains would become so full that passengers would be unable to find seats. The railway department was doing its best to help out the accommodation problem by limiting the number of sleeping cars and first-class carriages in favour of second-class cars. Six expresses left for Wellington in the afternoon and evening, all being filled to capacity All sleeping accommodation on the limited express at 7.10 p.m. was ful'y booked. Other expresses during the day included two Whangarei trains nnd one each to Rotorua and Taneatua in the morning, and the New Plymouth express in the evening. There was little vacant seating accommodation on any of these trains TIMBER WORKERS NEW AWARD ISSUED SOME WAGES INCREASES A new award for timber workers lias been made by the Arbitration Court. It applies to all the Dominion with the exception of Marlborough. Nelson and Westland and will operate for one year from January,l, 1945. A wages increase of id an hour is granted on all existing rates of 2s 6d an hour and under with the exception of bush and logging operations, the increase for the latter being Id an hour. An increase of Is a shift is granted to nightshift- workers. Work performed on Sundays is to be paid at double rates. Workers are to be allowed ten minutes "smoko" in the morning in the employers' time. In a dissenting opinion, Mr A. L. Monteith, representing the workers, states that he considers the wages are too low when the price of timber still increases. The base rate of 2s 5d an hour after adding the Court's two general order increases and deducting taxation will give the workers for a 40hour week £4 13s 2d to live on. It also seemed to him that Juniors should have received consideration and that both morning and afternoon "smokos" should have been provided. 46 APPEALS REVIEWED PAEROA AREA RESERVISTS Decisions in 4(5 appeals respecting employees of two foundries at Thames and the Whakatane Paper Mills which were reviewed by the Armed Forces Appeal Board in the Paeroa area have been announced by the secretary, Mr R. W. Chappell. The reservists were men between the ages of 21 and 35. medically grade one with tip to two children. Mr Chappell stated that the engineering firms had been on full time and overtime war contracts, which had now eased somewhat. Of 27 cases affecting employees of A. and G. Price, Ltd., 11 appeals were withdrawn, seven were wtibdrawn with a time limit fixed, four were dismissed with mobilisations dates varying up to March 31, one was dismissed completely, two wore adjourned until March 31 for review and the remaining two were adjourned sine die. A total of 13 cases were dealt with affecting employees of Charles Judd. Ltd., and four of them were dismissed, two were dismissed with a time limit for mobilisation, one was adjourned pending a suitable replacement, two were adjourned for review 011 March 3] and four were adjourned sine die. One of the six appeals respecting employees of the Whakatane Paper Mills was dismissed, two wore adjourned pending suitable replacements, one was adjourned sine die and two Maori volunteers were released for service.