RAILWAY SERVANTS' GRIEVANCES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12934, 29 March 1904, Page 5

RAILWAY SERVANTS' GRIEVANCES.

THE WELUXGTOX CONTEEEXCE.

flfyoit Otjß Own- Cor.nnsrosnE.VT.) WELLINGTON , , March 28. Tim jircsonro of the railway delegates in "V/Gjljiifrtan for tho biennial cotiferonee h.i-s rovciikd ilio fact- that considerable dissati?factiiisi t-xist.-i mnongst t'i.> railway employees rcgiird-jn.;; thwr tieaimc'iit by tho do-part-ii'tnt }n pertain matters. The employes j;ow deny tJi.at tho voto of the whole of Iho f-mployfes \\m taljcm on tlic qiicsfion of (.•srtiiing uiiclcr ihn Iniluslriul Coin'iliation flm'l Arbitration iVot. "We want it to go forth to the world:, ,, ' say the empluyecs, ''lii.'it Ibat vofa was taken among only a Pliiall sectiun of !i;v' It Has, iliey state, I tiik™ .■■iiiipiy tlio mcrlinniral |>artir>n of tho I servico (wnrksliojis, ijtc.), r.liout onc-piglilli I rf tlw wl.iiilj, l£ a- vule was tp.knn to'-<lay of tiif \vbp!.o of f,!io finpioyecs, it <~ «ni(l, t!:oy v/ou'jl alniqst uiuuiimoasly tlccido to (H::)i> ujul'r Ilio ac-t. Another !;iiov:;siei> iviiifli ba". l>o« i ii l-hu Mil>i<.>rt of lomark β-uicnßit tlio ir.cm)i«]' ; ; of tho I'onfcrc-nee is Mint nf holiday travellina passtw. In Sop-ii'-iiilwr Jfist. lljc (Icimi't.'iioiil rainf' to n m\v decision on this inaitor. by which all railw.?y mniilnyt'W arc divided into two chw-os. One o.la?-!, called fii:-St division moil, are nllowed iirst ('lass passes; the other class, or- wfiiitf (l«'isic(if,. !iro nllnn'cd only second (•h'B passes. One anomaly under "this rule i= ihj!. aii <<n»inMlEi.wi\ for iust.inc?, is con- . dfinitcsl to swoml t)a"3 travelling, whilst li-i* «on. who may bo. a first division man, (ro-vols J!tst. Tho pfHifiiilo of Ilio ililufir is Siiid to bo slronaly isbjrrtcd to tliroushout tlin Ritrirci P-prvjce as itvtrodncliiK a class distinction. a.jrd Ivad lioth divisions been re-tri(-t-;'d to .speohd class nasws vJrj' liltlo jrt-itntinii waiiiil hnvr* boon folt. A point ftrnnjly em-pTin-si-eil liv the- last conference rais that, priiiiiotiriii should be mado upon ImisD of (if.-tvjco (uihor things fein? er|iial|, it'.'i'Md (if o:i. tlio prinoipl" that ho who .stone! loii'joSt'nif tlm "next inferior rate of pay" f!ln-U i":iTive tlip promotion. The ease for Ik- cnnf.wetic&'s. piorosal i? (lint unde-r tfio oxi-iiut' sy-tiMi) a boy como-s into the scrvi™ , at 18 ycari- at. Is a day, and niurt KO tliruut]) ail. as a lad porta' until' In; lia- ; l>v Kfttin<; an iucreaso mt.ry nf 6'l it <ia.y a wv.se of 7s. Political i.i.i.tliip-iice. n.mv puts a man on as a labour?! , at 7s a /lay, «ml ho is only a lahnuri'i' for ri short limo, wlion he is nuiijtiy hki;n on as.- a porter or shunter at jlio , sainrj -vajj". Thiw, uiid-ei- the "ne-xt inferior rafi> t>f pay promotion" lie (jots in a fp«: mmriln op vwfo a lonjf ftart of tlin .VQHIIJ man of ?.2. yciirs who. havini; filtered fh.o s'prvlcß throfinh tlip channel, is then jit receipt of 6s a day. Homo in-ditriinl-irri i.? cxitrc-iscd by mombei-s at. the. fnpt that tlinu.Tli. two years ngo thp Kaihvay Pofifi'fi'Jlo.? v.-iiieh sat in Invorcar?ill foriinlat I'd p. n-Vi-i-upr of: rcqucste for the. rf-medv-iiiir (.'.' .'.'i-ievancß and injiwlir-os in tlio Fflr\ici>, ti.iMo rcnupsts. nnmlicriiifj in all IC?.. ?cvil (orwardcM) to tlio railway lnanagcr in dun convsv, teeejved no reply iiiilil Saturtlay moniini;. A teply was asked for iiy li\tl"V otl Wi'ei'ar f.nWi'.ioiis, but none was fOilbfOmir.jf. The (iontorpuce on meeting at this juncture. i)i Wollinslra pressed for tlw> r'lily, «:i if coiiiii net, proeced t» business ■tfillioiit beili': m:i.(!i' aware of tlio oulremo of (fir.-cbirfiTPiico of two veiny ago, and eventally a iv))!v }va« obtained on Saturday rnnviiJllff. Tlif'O Wi* Ifi2 requests on tho lift, a.ui!. of iltfso only (inn was Rrnntcd a fironriihl!) vrnly.. Tlin cniiference, after two vi.'ar.-. nf {in:i.i<«;i ivaitisi? ums informal that oji.-v .'.•liovi , ! pi I , V'lr wouhl bi! allowed to all sui'fai'Pnv.'.ii.. Thesn .arii'Vi'nre.i aro to l>o lii-nunl.!! lipfofe! the Miii'Vter sliorlly by dc.;iut.a!iou from t!ie oon.'erciipp.