RAILWAY SERVANTS

Otago Witness, Issue 3239, 12 April 1916, Page 26

RAILWAY SERVANTS

AND THE COST OF LIVING

DISCUSSION WITH MEMBERS OF

PARLIAMENT.

As everyone knows, the railway servants throughout New Zealand have been strenuously advancing claims during the past few months to an increased rate of pay in consequence of thjC great advance in the cost of living, particularly since tho commencement of the great struggle now going on in Europe. Following on previous meetings and discussions the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants held a meeting in tho Early Settlers' Hall on Sunday afternoon for tho purpose of putting beforo tho local members of the House of Representatives— Messrs Statham, Sidey, Dickson, and Walker —its general views on tho whole question of tho cost of living at tihe present time, and conferring with them as to what action might bo taken by the Government to bring relief not only to the railway servants but to the community as a whole. Mr Butcher, of the traffic branch of the service, occupied the chair. Tho speakers for the men were Messrs Wilkinson (Hillside Branch A.S.R.S.), Saunders (Otago Branch A.S.R.S.), and Little (Engine-drivers, Cleaners, and Drivers' Association). As showing tho live interest taken in the matter, it has only to bo said that the seating accommodation of the hall was all taken up. The speakers named brought forward a considerable array of figures to show how the cost of living has steadily advanced during recent years, and gone forward by leaps and bounds since the outbreak of the war—the average being stated at from 20 per cent, to 25 per cent, since 1914. The Government was taken to task for having done little or nothing as the result of the work and report of tho recent Cost of Living Commission, and Mr Saunders stated that the members of Parliament wero to blame, in that they had not been faithful to election pledges in reference to this" matter. An export tax was strongly advocated, the claim being that it would decrease the cost of living and at the same time catch a portion _ of the immense war profits being obtained by producers. The question of wheat-growing was also canvassed at length, and the speakers said that it was tho duty of the Government, which already was fully possessed of the power, to compel the growth of the cereal, and also to commandeer tho grain for tho country's requirements. Mr Sidey was the first called upon to reply. He expressed his great pleasure at meeting such a large gathering of the railwaymen. During the time he had been in the House he had been brought somewhat closely into touch with the railway servants. He had always been on tho side of giving good wages. He complimented the speakers for the reasonable manner in which they had brought forward what they had to say. They did not ask the members so much to consider the giving of an increase in wages as to see whether it was not possible to make wages go further. —(Applause.) In connection with the suggestion that members had not been true to their pledges, he coidel only speak for himself. The tact was that he had been associated with a party that had not boon in office. The party he was associated with had appointed the Cost of Living Commission, but went out of office before its work was completed. He indicated that the Liberal Party had been prepared to act in some manner to lighten the burden. When the National Government was formed one of the conditions to which the Liberal 1 arty agreed was that something should be done in connection with the cost of living question. Whether members, in face of tho preseut condition of affairs, would be justified in endorsing a motion of want of confidence in the National Government was a question, but it was a matter for consideration whether so extreme a step should be taken. Powers to commandeer had been given when the war broke out, hut thoso powers had never been exercised. With regard to production, if necessary the Government could enter into active competition, and so prevent undue prices being charged. For instance, a single flour mill would be sufficient to prevent too severe rises in the price of that commodity. Mr Sidey concluded by asking his hearers to have more consideration for tho private member in the position in which he was placed with the National Government in office, and the war in which the Empire was engaged. He believed that if the present situation was not greatly improved, the Government would recognise the position of the railway _ workers and do something towards meeting it. Mr Statham said he .was glad to hear Mr Butcher in his opening remarks say that tho question was not so much one of ways as of purchasing power. That was a position that had been too much lost sight of in the past. The root of the evil lay in the fact that the purchasing power of wages had decreased so much. So far as belonging to party was concerned, ho belonged to none at the present time. He recognised only the National Government, and all members were for the time his political friends. All must take their share of responsibility. He would ask them to bear in mind, however, that the individual member was only one in a body of 80. Mr Statham went on to refer to tho report of the Cost of Living Commission presented to the Government. Some of its recommendations had been given effect to —for instance, in the matter of workmen's homes, —but, taking the position as a whole, the fact was that absolutely no solution had been found ; if any solution could be found he would join hands with the person bringing it forward. With regard to the taxing of war profits, that would not decrease the cost of living. However, it was eminently desirable for other reasons, and legislation would undoubtedly be passed in the coming session. Nor would an export tax reduce the cost of living - . It would reduce it provided it was big enough to stop exportation, but that would ruin the country. With regard to tho question of tho .regulation of prices, he doubted very much" whether such was possible; the question of supply and demand would always com© in. In the coming session there would undoubtedly be an addition made to the income tax, with extra taxation on war profits. It had been said that that would bo a year too late. That was not so. Tho increase would take effect on incomes from the period March 31, 1915, to March 31, 1916. There would certainly, therefore, bo 'no loss on the year just east. Mr Dickson said that he and Mr Walker had come to tho meeting under a misunderstanding. They did not know that the subject to be canvassed was the cost of living; they thought it was the question

of a rise in wages or the granting of a war bonus. If any feasible scheme could bo devised to fix the cost of living in fairness to all classess of the community he wou'd be a strong supporter of it. However, ho could see tremendous difficulties in the way; the question had exercised political economists for a century. To fix prices it was absolutely essential first of all to fix supply. Mr Walker said' that he had come prepared principally to deal with the question of wages and war bonus. It had come as a great surprise to him to find that thero were so many men employed in the service inadequately paid. —(Applause.) He understood that there were some 6000 getting either 9s per day or less- —in a great many cases 8s and 7s. He had been forced to the conclusion that the Government seemed to be one_ of the greatest "sweaters" in the dominion. He believed that no matter how many years they went back they would find that mechanics had been in receipt of 12s, lis 6d, lis, 10s 6d. and 10s per day. Mr Bishop, the magistrate in Christchurch, had recently said (hat no man could adequately provide for a family of eight on a wage of £3 a week. The question to consider, however, was what any married man ought to receive, and he said that a man even with a very small family could do very little on £3 a week at the present time. The question must be dealt with. The last word in connection with it had been said by the Arbitration Court itself. The court had said that a bonus should be given to all employees throughout the dominion to the extent of 10 per cent. He understood that the railway servants desired an increase or a bonus amounting to Is per day all round. That was less than the 10 per cent, advocated by the Arbitration Court, and when they took into consideration the percentage of increase in the cost of - living it would be seen that the men were putting forward a very moderate claim. —(Applause. 4 If his colleagues present would be as determined to secure that advance as he was, then so far as their part of the country was concerned they would got it. —(Applause.) The speaker was firmly convinced that it was the duty of the Government to compel farmers to grow crops that were needed; it had the right and the power. If they refused, then the Government must take over the land and grow the crop itself. Questions were asked with a view to further eliciting the opinions of the members of Parliament. These chiefly referred to the question of taxing exports, on which opinion seemed to be very divided as to whether the effect would be to decrease the cost in the dominion, and, further, as to whether it could be done without harm to the people at Home. Votes of thanks to the chairman, the representatives of the men, and the members of Parliament for their presence, were carried with enthusiasm.