BRITISH RAILWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18321, 11 August 1921, Page 5

BRITISH RAILWAYS

QUESTION OF JOINT CONTROL. MR BARNES’S PROPOSAL. Frees Association— By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, August 9. In the House of Commons Mr 3. N. Barnes (Labour) moved an amendment to the Railway Decontrol Bill, assuring railwayman of. seven seats on the directorate of each group of companies. He said that joint control of industry would do more than anything else to lessen disputes. The present proposal would give the workers an inside knowledge and a keen feeling of responsibility. Mr J. H. Thomas (National Secretary of the Railwaymen’s Union), in opposing the amendment, said that amity between the companies and the men would not- be achieved by imposing conditions on the companies which they had previously rejected. If the companies welcomed Mr Barnes’s innovation the workmen would jump at it In the scheme which had been agreed to and which was already world ng there was every opportunity for dealing with all disputes. If the workers were mistaken in agreeing to that schema they were responsible.—A. and N.Z. •Cable.

(Received August 10, at 8.30 p.m.) : Lord Robert Cecil supported the amendment. Sir Eric Geddes (Minister of Transport), replying, agreed with the principle underlying the proposal, but pointed out that no railway board would accept it, believing the time was not yet ripe for such a step. Mr F. B. Mild may (Co.U.) and Major J. W. Hills (Co.U.), both of Thom are directors, said that all the companies regarded the present working scheme as satisfactory, and they intended to wort ifc smoothly.

Mr Barnes said he welcomed these declarations, and withdrew his amendment. Sir J. F. Flannery (Co.U.) opposed the third reading. He said he regretted that no provision had been made for the. election of workmen as directors, of whom ha had had 20 years’ satisfactory experience. The Bill was read a third time.—Al and N.Z. Cable.

RAILWAYMEN’S WAGES. A REDUCTION AGREED ID. LONDON, August 9. The unions concerned conferred with the railway managers and accepted redactions in the railway workshops, 'skilled artisans’ wages, amounting to 6s weekly, coinciding with the second out under the engineers 1 agreement. One hundred thousand -men are effected.—A. and N.Z. Cablet.