THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Southland Times, Issue 19224, 14 May 1921, Page 5

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

DISMISSAL OF CASUALS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 13. With reference to recent complaints that returned soldiers and married men employed as casuals were being dismissed by the Railway Department to make room for immigrants, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Act-ing-Minister of Railway’s, stated to-day that the complaints had been very exhaustively looked into by the Department, and it was‘found that in a number of cases the position had been greatly exaggerated. As to tjie complaints by the Returned Soldiers’ Association at Christchurch that a large number of returned soldiers employed as casual labourers at the Christchurch goods shed were being discharged and the services of immigrants retained, the Minister stated that the men who were employed at the Christchurch goods shed were engaged on the hourly basis, and continuity of employment depended entirely on requirements for the time being. During the war period the Department released some thousands of its employees for w’ar service, and on the cessation of hostilities the bulk of the railway men returned home and resumed their ordinary occupations. The Railway Department also engaged over 1100 returned soldiers, and preference, w’herever possible, was given to returned men. The great bulk of the casuals taken on during the war were ineligible under the regulations for appointment to the permanent staff, and it was now necessary to bring the permanent staff to its normal strength. In making such appointments. however, the first consideration was extended to men who had seen active service. During the past two years the Department had made every effort to recruit the staff within the dominion, with very unsatisfactory results. The only alterna tive remaining was to engage new arrivals who could comply with the requirements of the regulations, and place them in training. A large proportion of the immigrants engaged were men who had seen service in France. Due consideration was also extended to casual hands,whose employment would be extended wherever practicable. TALK OF RETRENCHMENT AND LOWER PAY. At the annual reunion of the South Auckland branch of the Railway Officer*’ Institute held at Frankton Junction week, a telegram was received from the general secretary of the Institute, Mr R. G. Morgan, which proved to be a bombshell and caused dismay among the members present, (says the Auckland Star). The telegram, which referred to an interview between the executive of the Institute and the General Manager of the Railways, Mr R. W. McVilly, on April 29, read as follows: "Interview practically abortive; management very unsympathetic. Special claims on Main Trunk members strongly urged; unsuccessful. Principal arguments used against were superior privileges compared with second division, especially rick, annual, and emergency leave; also division barrier, reduction cost of living, falling railway traffic, slump in Dominion, financial stingency, and possible pro rata reduction of salaries and staff throughout the public services.”

A conference of officers will be held in Dunedin next week, and the delegates were urged to take a definite stand in this matter. Mr J. A. Young, M.P., .who was among those .present at the reunion, said he did not take the telegram seriously. Perhaps the General Manager of the Railways had been misunderstood. The financial situation in the Dominion was certainly clouded, lut he thought the resources of the country were sufficient to bring us all. right in due time. The interview referred to in the telegram concerned certain important clauses in the agreement made between the R. 0.1.. and the Department as a direct result of the sitting of the Wages Board at the time of the railway strike. The Institute considered that certain of these clauses, relating mainly to hours of work, had not been kept by the Department. "We are practising economic#*,” Mr Massey is reported to have said before he left to attend the Imperial Conference, “and if we are able to go on with them, very good.” He is further reported to have said that retrenchment may afterwards come in. and it would mean a 10 per cent reduction in salaries right through the Civil service, and perhaps after that, if it were not sufficient, a 10 per cent reduction in staff. The Prime Minister also referred to a falling off in revnue. less Customs receipts and a diminishing result result from income tax,this year. Such a position would not allow cf ant’ increases in salaries and he would not give them.

Rumors have running amongst railwaymen for some time regarding this hint of a coming reduction in salaries, but the officers of the men’s organisations in Auckland do not gene-ally give it credence. Neither are they inclined tn give a serious ear to the talk of a reduction in th? railway staff, because they Consider that the permanent staff is not too large at this present time. Another point is that there hr«! been no official notice given to any of the men in Auckland that any reduction in salaries or in permanent staff is likely to com? “But I don’t know that that would mean anything,” stated one of the rank and file this morning. “When we get any notifications they are urually quick and to the point. We get no lengthy notices about anything. It’s ‘You will do So-and-so next Monday,’ or ‘You will go to on Thur? day. 12th inst,’ That’s about all we eve. get.” These rumours seem to be current i n all branches of the railway service, and in fact a possible reduction in salaries is a topic of conversation in Post and Te’«graph, and in other departments of the Civil Service as well. However that mav be, the whole matter will be very thoroughly discussed by the Auckland branch of the Railway Officers’ Institute on Tuesday evening, May 10. when the anru”! meeting of that branch will be held. This meeting will assemble to confirm the pointment of its officers. *who were elected recently, and also to receive the annual report and balance sheet of the branch and discuss other matters of importanc” to the members. The local officers elect*4 the other day are:—Chairmsm Mr C. Conn; vice-chairman. Mr H. M. Shera: secretary, Mr C. R. Bell; treasurer, Mr W. J. Cum mings. Another meeting, a special gathe inc of the R. 0.1., has been called at Dunedin on Wednesday, May 18. Four local officer? will probablv attend this meeting, in the persons of Messrs. C. R. Bell and R. E. Carrol, who have been elected as delegates of the branch, and Messrs. E. Ce-rey and J. Cerna han, who are vice-preridents of the Institute. The meeting in Dunedin will also discuss salaries and other allied matters.