OF INTEREST TO RAILWAY MEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2955, 2 November 1910, Page 38

OF INTEREST TO RAILWAY MEN.

A QUESTION OF INCREMENT. iFbgu Oi:b Own CoEEE&roxDSXT.) WELLINGTON, October 26. A matter of considerable importance to railway men cropped up in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Davey said that it was understood that the Minister has promised to make up the increment which was kept back from engine drivers and firemen last year. Although these men had now been promoted this year they had lost the expense increment for the 12 months. It was believed that the Minister had promised' that the men would not suffer owing to the fact that they did not got the increase last year. Was it intended to make up the amount to the men '! Several other members stated that they had also been requested to refer to the matter. The Hon. J. A. Millar in reply said that he wa»> not in the habit of breaking his woTd. He had never promised that the men would get the increase which was withheld last year. What he had told the men was that they would not be any worse off. That was to say, that the same men would get the promotion in the following year. The trouble was that the men had been fighting for a compulsory 50 per cent, in the first grade. He did not think that they would ever get it. Mr Masse y : They had it once. Mr Millar : But the House altered it. Mr Masse v : On vour motion. Mr T. E.' Taylor": The House did not. know what it was doing. In conclusion Mr Millar said that the revenue of the country had at the time been going back to such an extent that the Government had to withhold increases in all branches. The railway executive had agreed that it would be unreasonable to ask for an increase when increases were being withheld in other branches of the service. No officials except the engine drivers and firemen had made any complaint in the matter. If the House gave these men the amount of the increas" that was not given last year, it would have to do the same all round. The whole of the 50 per cent was now filled up.