GOVERNMENT YIELDS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12229, 29 August 1925, Page 5

GOVERNMENT YIELDS

TO RAILWAYMEN’S DEMANDS INCREASE IN WAGES OFFERED MEN NOT ENTIRELY SATISFIED By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. BRISBANE, August 28. At a conference between the Premier and representatives of the unions attached to the Australian Labour Party, the Premier announced that the Government had no objection to an increase in the basic wage, but wished to make it clear that it considered that any increase would apply to all workers in the State governed by awards of the Arbitration Court. The unions should now approach the full bench of the Arbitration Court for revision of its previous judgment. If this were done the Government would agree to an increase of 5 per cent, as far as Government 'employees were concerned to those workers who were earning amounts between the basic wage, and £3OO a year, and who were not already provided, for. After this announcement, the representatives of the railway strike council withdrew, as the railwaymen’s vigil-, aneo committee previously had notified the Premier that it would decline to meet the Cabinet if any unions

other than those of railwaymen were present at the conference, and insisted on the right of the railwayman only to participate in the conference. Owing to the .withdrawal of these delegates the conference was nnable to reach finality. , At a late Uonr a letter was sent to the Premier hy the strike council stat-, ing that after hearing the*’report of the delegates to the conference it was not entirely satisfied. While it appreciated the Govirnment’s offer to restore the 5 per cent, increase it was not in accord with the method of do-‘ ing so. It is of opinion that. the Government should dispense with the formality of approaching the Court hy conceding the claims forthwith, and so assist towards a speedy settlement of the present dislocation.