RAILWAY SERVICE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16458, 17 June 1924, Page 9

RAILWAY SERVICE.

ADJUSTMENT OF HOURS. (Per Press Association.) 'WELLINGTON, this day. At the Railway Wages Inquiry Board to-day, Mr. Sterling, for the Department, concluded his remarks upon wages. He, argued that in the present case it was not a, question of cutting wages, but of adjustment in accordance with the fluctuation in the cost, of living. On the question of bom’s, Air. Sterling said that previously a, man received overtime payment for time worked in excess of the eight hours day, and also in excess of the 44-hours week, notwithstanding whether he had already received overtime for any one, day. It d.’.d not, necessarily mean that a man had to work 44 hours on, a flat, rate before lie received overtime. Ho did not think the Department would be, justified in incurring! an extra expenditure of £250,C00 yearly out of thei public purse, in order to, meet the demands! of (he, society. He challenged the railway men to instance any oilier workers who had an eighthour day and a 44-hour week in operation together.’. The trend of hours in Australia., Britain, and other countries was also in the- direction of a 48-h-our week. Mr. Sterling handed in a. return showing that although the train, mileage in relation to the number of men employed had decreased since 1914 by 3.16 per cent., the wages expenditure had increased by 80.2 pdr tent. ll© considoired the train mileage was the best indication df the work performed in various branches of the Department.