THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17636, 28 May 1919, Page 5

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

LOCOMOTIVE MEN'S GRIEVANCES. CABINET MEETING DELAYED. (Feom Oue Own Coebesfondent.) "WELLINGTON, May 27. The hold-up of tho Maori in Wellington has delayed tho Acting Prime Minister in Christchurch at a time when ho was most anxious to bo in "Wellington. ® Two weeks ago Sir James Allen was approached by a deputation of tho railway locomotive men, who made a request that their dispute with the department should be considered by a conference of representatives of the department and representatives of the union, with an outside conciliator in tho chair. Sir James Allen said that this matter would have to be considered by the Cabinet. Tho locomotive men pressed for an early reply, assuring the Minister that it would be difficult to restrain their tnon for very long. The Minister promised a reply, certainly within a week. It happened that Mr Hemes had thai day gone north, where he had made appointments which ho had to keep, and he was unable to return until last Saturday, in the meantime Sir James_ Allen had to go to the south to keep appointments there, and the meeting of the Cabinet had to be postponed. The locomotive men were, informed of this by Sir James Allen. Now the meeting i 3 being delayed still another day at least. .

During this 1 time another trouble has cropped up with the railway service on ao count of the exercise of the departmental veto on the finding of the Railway Appeal Board in a Wellington case, and this matter has also to bo considered by the Cabinet. It. is admitted by men who know the service and who scoffed at the possibility of a strike a couple of months ago that there has never been a greater danger of a railway strike than at the present moment If such a strike should occur it will be prjurtioally general in the North Island, or sufficiently general to prevent any sort of services from being run. In the South Island it is expected that things wfll not be tso bad. There is very little chance of the, Government conceding the demand of the locomotive men, or at least there is very little chance of the department agreeing to the concession. Possibly the Government may override the department. One reason for the attitude of the department 13 that a settlement has been made with the largest body of railwavmen, and if the concession asked were granted to tho locomotive men the whole question of the schedule for other branches of the service would have to, be reopened. The department had difficulty in getting the A SRS delegates to a<x:ept the terms offered, and the delegates had even greater difficulty in getting the branches to accept them, so that if one section of the service gained an advantage by fighting, the moderates in the A,b.R S. would never be able to hold those of their men who are only half satisfied now. MINISTERIAL VETO. ANOTHER PROTEST. (Pra Umitku Prbss Association.) WELLINGTON, May 27 The Wellington branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants has passed a resolution resenting tho decision of the Minister in vetoing the unanimous decision of the Railway Appeal Board in the Longton oase.