RAILWAY OFFICERS' INSTITUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 45

RAILWAY OFFICERS' INSTITUTE.

Tho annual conference of tho New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute was continued on the 4th inst. The following telegram was received from tho General Manager (Mr E. H. Hiley) : "I shall be glad if you will convey to ex- " ecutive and members of your society the department's appreciation of the assistance given to the department by all grades of railway-men during the war crisi3. The manner in which railwaymcn have met all the military _ obligations is most praise- - : worthy, as is also the loyal and cheerful service rendered to the department by all those members of the depleted staff upon whom devolves the duty of assisting to successfully carry on the operations of the department in tho dominion. This may be truly regarded as a national servioe during 1 ' tiie present war crisis." It was una.nimously resolved that the attention of the management be drawn to the fact that many positions in tho storos branch are considerably underpaid as com- '" pared with other branches, and that the department should make the necessary pro- '"■ motions to rectify the grievance. A motion for an elective exeoutive, with' headquarters at Wellington, was defeated,, but it was proposed to set up a subcommittee resident in Wellington to, place the views of the executivo before tha management. COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL,. In the railway club rooms of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute on the 4th tho delegates .to tho annual meeting of the council of Nc-w Zealand Railway Officers' Institute, which is this year being held in Dunedin, were entertained at a social gathering by the members of the Dunedin branch. The function was characterised by a great deal cf brightness and genuine, good feeling, and the programme went with a fine swing from start to finish.Mr A. W. Smith (chairman of the Dunedin branch), who was supported by the executive officers -of the institute, presided over a very large attendance. Tho Chairman extended a hearty welcome to all present, and especially to tho president (Mr Young), to the officers of the institute, the visiting delegates, and the representatives of kindred societies. —(Applause.) He asked them to drink the loyal toast aa it should be drunk, and not with the for-* mality that had so often characterised it in the days before the war —a request that received duo attention. A fairly lengthy toast-list was then carried out. The sitting of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute Conference was resumed '. on the sth inst. Tho sub-committee set up to go into the question of the increased cost of living submitted the following- report, which wad adopted:—"The representatives of the railway officers assembled in council havo de- -■ cided to endorse with all emphasis the action of tho Ga-and Council of State Servants in their representations to the Government with a view to reduction of the high cost of living, and request the council to urge upon the Government the urgent - necessity of making a prompt and practical - effort to reduce the price of necessary household commodities. The unanimous ) opinion of the railway officers is that the difficulties attached to this problem should not be insurmountable to tho Government. This council considers that as the wages and < salaries and the services of their members can be arbitrarily fixed by the Government, the matter of prices could also be arbitrarily fixed. This council further resolves that, should the Government fail to reduce the cost of commodities to a degree com- i mensurate with the wage-earners' decreased spending power, it will use best endeavours to obtain an increase in the salaries of their lower-paid members. The railway officers realise that in the present conditions it is necessary for each and every one of them to accept a measure of sacrifice, but emphatically object to be sac- . rficed for the benefit of the profiteer." The conference of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute was continued on the 6th inst. ■■■'£ It was decided to urge on the Minister of Railways the necessity for improving the pay and conditions of officers in the Lake Wakatipu steamer service. The following officers wore elected for .- the ensuing year:—President, Mr__ J* Young; vice-presidents —Major W. O. Ennie (on active service), Messre A. W. Hutch- . ings, N. Dennehy, H. Thomas, E. Casey, and G. Matthewson : treasurer, Mr T. Snow; auditors, Messrs W. Bishop and «L Kane; Executive Committee —Messrs R. M'Cracken, J. Pickard. W. Marshall, M. Millar, J. Watcrhouse, G. Brooks, and V. Hardv: delegates to State Service Association's Council—Messrs Young, and Dennehy.