THE RAILWAYS

Southland Times, Issue 19357, 24 September 1924, Page 6

THE RAILWAYS

METHOD OF CLASSIFICATION. DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 23. The Minister of Railways (Hon. J. G. Coates) moved the second reading of the Government Railways Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-night. THE BILL EXPLAINED. The most interesting feature of the Bill, explained the Minister, was the proposal to make a classification of railway servants by regulation instead of by Act of Parliament, as at present. The existing system was cumbersome and not sufficiently elastic, as arrangements made between the men and the Minister could not be given effect to until Parliament again met. Moreover he did not know of an instance where Parliament had altered the schedule when it was submitted to the members. The desired change was contemplated for the purpose of making reductions in salaries. OTHER SPEAKERS. Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) put in a plea for better working conditions of the way and works for the men. They were now compelled to work 48 • hours a week and often had to travel long distances from their homes to their work. He considered that they should be paid for travelling one way, as recommended by the minority report of the recent Railway Commission. The shunters were also badly treated and badly paid. Their work was dangerous and arduous, and the conditions called for immediate reform. He deprecated two sets of employees on railways having different sets of working hours, as now existed. This did not make for harmony or uniformity. Mr Holland said that the Labour Party did not propose to discuss the Bill at length at this stage, since it was proposed to send it to the Railway Committee. There would never be satisfaction in the Railway Service until an adequate basic wage was established, and, further, there could never be contentment amongst the employees so long as different sections of the employees were subject to different working conditions. The central idea of the Bill was management by regulation, and to that Labour had always been opposed. Mr L. Mcllvride (Napier) complained that after he had obtained the permission of the Minister and General Manager for certain railway men at Napier to interview them, the men were subsequently “blistered” from Wellington for seeking outside inliuence. This was most unfair, and an inquiry should be instituted to discover who was responsible for it. Mr 8. G. Smith (Taranaki) contended that casual workers in the Railway Service should receive a higher rate of pay, because they received no superannuation. The Bill now before the House was designed to place men and their salaries absolutely in the power of the Minister, and to this he. would hot consent, as it was calculated to create greater discontent in the Service than even at the present prevailed. THE MINISTER’S REPLY. Hon. J. G. Coates, in reply, said that if any Napier men had been “blistered” that was quite unauthorised, and someone would have to be sorted out about it. He had said over and over again that if men wanted to see him and he had the- time to do it, the door was always open to them, and that must be understood and observed. He denied that there was anything like victimisation in force against members the A.S.RJ3. They were now working under conditions not fixed by Cabinet, but by a tribunal for which they had asked. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Railways Committee,.