RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25343, 26 October 1945, Page 3

RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

FINDINGS OF TRIBUNAL COMMENT BY SECRETARY (P.A.) WELLINGTON'. Thursday Discussing the findings of the Railways Industrial Tribunal, Mr J. S. Roscoe, general secretary of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute, said that the considerations which had actuated the tribunal in its initial proceedings concerning salaries and wages were just as important today. In iact, he thought, those considerations were even more cogent today than when they were first brought to the notice of the tribunal. "We say that we are entitled to some recognition above the normal run for the onerous conditions of our work," said Mr Roscoe. "Further, we are suffering from the loss of social lite through the fact that every week-end, and also at holiday times, we are going to the limit of our endurance. We think there is a case for recognition of that in the salary schedule. We cannot get holidays to make up for it. During the last five years as many as 100,000 days of leave have piled up, and this is causing a great amount of sickness. ''The increases we got last year were applied to nil public services, the Post and Telegraph Department and other workers in general, through the Arbitration Court, and that left the railwayinen in a similar position to that which they occupied before the tribunal sat.

"We based our claims, and still base them, on the salary scale of 1920, and wo are still a long way behind. We had higher claims in 1920 than were granted to us. and we are still taking a low compensation for the increased cost of living.

"Recognition of payment for night rates is something to which we have been looking forward for years and we arc pleased about it. We are also pleased with the alterations in conditions in spite of the disappointment caused by portions of the findings r<<ferred to. We may say that the tribunal is the best method so far evolved." ESCAPE FROM PRISON TWO MEN PLEAD GUILTY (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Thursday .Evidence of an alleged strike by prisoners at/ Wuikunc prison camp last July was given in the Magistrate's Court, when two prisoners, Neville Hugh Coughey, aged 24, and Geoffrey Kedmond Turner*, aged 25, admitted escaping from prison oil July 22, and also the unlawful conversion of a car from Raurimu on the same day. Jit evidence, one of the accused said Waikune was by far the worst camp he had been in. "Two years there is equivalent to three years anywhere else, lie said. The superintendent of the prison, Mr ,T. Quill, said Turner was serving a sentence of two and a-half years from July. 1944, and Coughey 12 months' hard labour from February, 1915, to be followed by 18 months' reformative detention. The latter sentence had been reduced to 18 months' reformative detention. Their escape was discovered on the morning of July 22, the windows of their respective cells having been broken open. In cross-examination, witness said that just before the escape Turner had been sentenced to six days on bread and water, but this had been remitted by witness after three days. Coughey at the same time had been fined five shillings. Nineteen men had taken part in a strike, and all wore disciplined either by bread and water rations or a fine. The men escaped on the night following Turner's release from solitary confinement.

After the prisoners escaped from Waikune, according to further evidence, they converted a car parked in a garage on Spiral Hill at Ttnurimn and then drove through to Auckland, where they stowed away on the vessel Kuraii. They were found hv the captain when three days out, and were arrested when the vessel reached Port Adelaide. Counsel asked if the two accused would be permitted to give statements on oath, as if might affect the question of penalty. The magistrate agreed, and both accused described events leading up to the alleged strike and the punishments following it. Accused were committed for sentence.

ASSAULT ON CONSTABLE TWO YEARS' DETENTION (P.A.) DUNEDIN, Thursday Sentences of two years' reformative detention was passed by Mr Justice Kennedy in the Supreme Court today on Robert John Ilendry, iifiod _MI, lorry driver, on charges of breaking and entering and ansanlt. causing bodily liarin to a police constable at Gore, the latter being struck with an iron bar. MUSIC EXAMINATIONS The following candidates were successful in the practical examinations of t.hn Associated Board of the Noyal School of Music, held this week at Pukckohe, Wniuku and Auckland. The examiner was Mr Eric Grant. Of the Of) candidates in all grade*, 5-1 pawed, two (raining distinction and 1." credit passes. Passes arc for pianoforte unless otherwise Ria Grado Vtll.. final.—Pass: Ethel Misa. Grade VI.. Intermediate.—Pass: Jocclvn Shaker. Grade V., higher.—Distinction: Norma Bilke.v (Violin). Pass: Kathleen B. Barry. Leila Hull, Ann Rountree. Grade TV.. lower.—Credit: Marlenr Arkle, Margaret Boyle (violin). "Ron it a Crawford, Laurence Dell. Joan Harrison (violin). Pass: Ruth Crnickshank, Patricia Greenawa.v. Jock McDonald, Margaret Neil, Patricia Patterson, June Robinson, Murielle Kobinson, Ivan Smith.