THE RAILWAY CRISIS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10540, 17 March 1920, Page 5

THE RAILWAY CRISIS

A.S.R.S. EXEGUTIVE

"DEFINITE LINE OF ACTION' DECIDED ON.

The conference of the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants was continued "' Wellington yesterday, and its sitting will probably be concluded to-day. It is understood that tho delegates have decided upon a definite line of action, which, however, thov »r« not prepared at the moment to divulge. MANY STRONG PROTESTS UNITED FOR DRASTIC ACTION FEK. PKESS ASSOCIATION. GREYMOUTH, March 10. A meeting of 150 railwaymen, representing nil branches of the services, passed tho following resolution* in roforenco to Mr Justice Stringer's report:— "That this mass meeting <>J C>rcjmouth inemlbei's of the A.S.R-S.. E.-F.C.A., and R. 0.1., call on their fellow workers throughout the Dominion to arrange throughout the Dominion through their executives, for stoppage of work for one full day on a. date to bo mutually agreed upon in ordor to demonstrate that tho service' as a whole is united for drastic action unless their just demands for increased pay are satUfi'*!.''' "This meeting wishes to draw the public's attention ,to a misleading statement published in tho Fres* crediting all increases in railway freights und fares as due to the extra cost uf pay granted to the staff, whereas the enormous increase in cost of uteres <md material would, to our minds, warrant tho higher rates gazetted. ' "Thn.t' we demand our .executives of the three societies to take a ballot i.f the members for the purpose of affiliating the three societies." "That this meeting protests against tho wilful destruction of clothing, etc.. by the military authorities n» face of the\fact that orders had been taken and paid for." ' "That this meeting desires that the Htop-wovk meeting bo arranged fot- * day during the visit of the Prine* ot Wales, as we believe that tho money which is t>eing spent on his entertainment is simply wasted, find should be used to raise tho social standard of workers o£ the Dominion."

NO PROSPECT OF PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT. PEE FKESS ASSOCIATIOK. DANNEVIRKE, March 16. Dannevirke xailwaymcn, at a special meeting, passed a resolution urg. ing their executive to reject Mr Justice Stringer's award of Is a day increase, and stating that they are prepared to back the executive to a man in whatever action it deem* advisable, as they consider there" is no prospect of obtaining a peaceful settlement. They also take exception to the iitatement made by the Prime Minister to tho Press that the average earnings of guards are from £± 10s to £5 per week, as Iboing both misleading and incorrect. The *nhodul« minimum rate is £3 12s a week, with a weekly reduction of approximately 4s for superannuation payment, leaving practically only £3 8s for Second Division men to live on. Any pay in addition to this (with some exceptions) is made only by members Working excessive overtime, which 'should not be calculated in showing the average pay for o.; 48-hour week. AUCKLAND BRANCH MEETING. The circular sent out to branches of tho A.S.R.S. by the general secretary was considered by the,Auckland- branch of the A.S.R.S. on Saturday evening. There was a large attendance. The meeting decided to reject the offer of Is a day as contained in Mr Justice Stringer's report. A resolution recommending that the rules and regulations be adhered to was carried with two dissentients ojjly. It was also decided to refute the Prime Minister's statement regarding the scale of wages received in" the branches of the service to 'which members of the A.S.R.S. belong. One member stated that if the service was run according to the rules it would mean a dislocation of the service, as effective as a go-slow policy.

IDISSATISFIEID OFFICERS. NO STRIKE OB "GO-SLOW." PES PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 18. The following motion wa csarried by tho Auckland branch of tho Railway Officers' Institute to-night:—"While hearing with indignation tho judgment of the Railway Inquiry Board respecting the claims made by tho officers for improved salaries, hours and conditions of employment, this meeting expresses its strong disapproval of any policy of strike or "go slow" as prejudicial to the best interests of all members of the service, resulting in immense injury to tho whole Dominion."

The branch passed a further resolution disapproving in detail of the recommendations of the hoard regarding officers' claims.