CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16666, 11 April 1916, Page 6

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

" Patriot" agrees with "Anzao's Friend" that if the Government made a concession to a soldier's wife when her husband waa on his three weeks' leave it would be a step in the right direction. If a wife let her husband away to 'do his bit," and he returned wounded or sick, the least the Government should do is , to'grant a oonoession'to her" even if it' does hot* give her*"a" tree pass. A married man who has been at the front is not likely to go travelling by himself, and when he takes his wife, and perhaps chJdren, he doce Dot get a fair tiling alongside the single niari who is travelling absolutely tree. " Superannuation " expresses surprise that the members ot the first div sion in the railway , service should' be asking an increase in pay. Is it riot a fact that quite recently they received substantial increases? They ask that single men receive a bonus of £10. If he wern Minister of Railways he would hand each of these 878 single men a rifle uniform, together with a free passage to 'Europe- to help fight for their K.ng and Country. Then, for those in receipt of £140 to £260 an incnease of £20 per annum. What a bawl went when the members of the second division at 9s per day (£140) asked for Is per day increase (£ls per annum)! Yet here we have officials with nearly twice their pay asking tor £5 more. The next grade, £260 to £315, asks for Is per day, or £15 per annum, and those with over £315 ask £10 per annum, compared with the men at 9s per day a man. These £260' io £300 men must be having a hard struggle to exist at present. The members of the first divison enjoy the comforts of a nice warm fire and a cosy office,' and never dirty their hands, whilst their fellow workers in the second division go out in all weathers performing dangerous work, as illustrated by the number of sad fatalities of late. Compare the pay of both for the traffic department:—First division — 10 years, £190 j 15 years, £2sO; 30 years and over, £260 to £700; second division— 10 years, £140 to £156; 15 years, £140 to £170; 30 years and over, £140 to £178. A clerk with 10 years' service gets a better wage than the man who ,controls the express trams, or performs dangerous shunting work in large goods yards or controls large signal boxes, and although the latter may have had over 30 years' service. The man' in the second division is out to obtain a living wage in these times of high prices, and has received some very hard knock for ■battling for an increase. The first division as usual watches him do the dirty work, but seeks to "get there first." Will "class" again predominate? "Disgusted" asks, '"Does the Empire want men?" He askes this in all seriousness as, ho says, it seems as if no sooner does a man offer his services, than he is promptly met by some vexatious little demand, or, snub from the Defence Office, which effectually damps his enthusiasm, and not only leaves him indifferent, but has a .detrimental effect, on all his circle of friends, whereas with a little tact and liberality on the part of the Defence Office ho would on acceptance be at once a centre of enthusiasm, and an inducement to others to join. "Disgusted" instances the case of a married workingman with four of a family, who, he alleges, having offered his services and passed the doctor, could not bo accepted until he had paid 7e 6d. for a copy of • his marriage license, and 2s 6d each for the birth certificate of each of his children.