RAILWAY SERVANTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7055, 17 February 1910, Page 5

RAILWAY SERVANTS

RESOLUTIONS OF CONFERENCE. The conference -of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants continued Its sittings yesterday. PRIVILEGES. Conference considered the question of granting privilege tickets to, the widowed mothers of junior members of the service who are acting in the position of housekeeper, but owing to the members being a junior the regulation does not apply. Conference was unanimously of the opinion that this concession should be extended to deserving juniors who are assisting in supporting their mothers, out of their small wages. SUPERANNUATION. It was resolved to request, the management to grant one privilege ticket quarterly to superannuated members and their wives. Correspondence was read from Air Richard Bell, late secretary of the English Amalgamated Society of _ Railway Servants, setting forth the privileges extended by the various railway companies to their superannuated members, which are . very liberal, an annual free pass, and privilege tickets being granted. This concession is also granted by several cf the Australian States. It was decided: That the second-di-vision members bo represented on the Superannuation; Fund Board by four members, two from each island, instead of three as at present. In support of this 'it was pointed out that the contributing members in the spcond division are now, owing to largo increases of the staff, contributing a very Targe percentage of the funds, and, therefore, feel that this justifies, ,the request for increased representation. COMPENSATION. Conference entered a vigorous protest against the continuation of paying claims for compensation to members of the first division under the Government Railways Act, 1887, out of the Railway Superannuation Fund. These claims under the Act quoted should be paid out of the Consolidated Fund. Conference

was strongly of the opinion that the funds should not be diverted to any other avenues from the express purpose for which the fund was established.

It was resolved that section IG, subsection 1, of the Railway Superannuation Fund Aet bo amended in tbc direction of making provision for the widows and children of superannuated members deceased, and also for the widows and children of deceased members who have been retired as medically unfit for duty. At present when members 'die while enjoying the benefits of superannuation their widows and children are then deprived of any benefits. If the deceased member has not drawn in pension the amount he paid in contributions to the fund the widows or heirs receive only flic ‘ difference in the actual amount of pension paid, and the contributions paid by. the member into the fund. The conference also decided that the benefits of the Workers Compensation for Accidents Act shall not in any way interfere with the benefits provided under the Government Railways Superannuation Fund. If a member dies as a result of ah accident sustained in the execution of his duty his widow or heirs are then entitled to an amount under the Workers Compensation Act. In that case the benefits accrueing to them under the Superannuation Fund are restricted and they are' entitled only to a refund of the actual amount of the contributions without interest paid into the fund by the deceased member. Tine section of tne Act applies only to members of the second division. Conference was- unanimously of the opinion that the benefits provid'eil in the Superannuation Fund should not bo withheld or restricted by the provisions of any other Act, seeing that the members affected are providing the necessary funds to enable them, under the conditions laid down, to enjoy tbc full benefits of same. It was baa enough for a wife and family to lose their breadwinner,, but it was also to be regretted that what the member has been providing against bas been restricted by the objectionable clause referred to. THE LEAVE ROTA. It was resolved that the system of leove rota-bo abolished. It has been the practice of the department to’ annually-compile a-return sotting forth in order,, the names of the members in 'each district and the month in which each member is entitled to go on leave. This system, owing to repeated representations, is now confined in its operation to .the Traffic Department. Many instances were quoted where members who, according to -the leave list, were entitled to their leave in the summer, have been unable to receive same, until the winter. The intention of the department was to postpone each members leave for one month each year, the idea being to allow members to have their leave in turn during the summer months, but it .was impossible in the Traffic Department to do this, members’ leave being in many instances long deferred; and, further, by deferring ' each member’s leave one month each year (even if the system was up-to-date) in thirteen years each member under this system would lose one year’s leave altogether. -