CUTS ACCEPTED

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1931, Page 6

CUTS ACCEPTED

TANGARAKAU AGREEMENT WORK TO BE RESUMED TO-DAY END OF TWO IDLE MONTHS RAILWAY WORK TO PROCEED Work is to be resumed to-day on the Stratford-Main Trunk railway, all sections of the workers having agreed to accept the Government's reduced wages schedule. Thus the idleness of over two months has apparently ended. When the lower scale of wages was announced some time ago the men refused to accept it and work closed. Long negotiations ensued, and finally the Government issued an ultimatum that unless the men resumed work at the new rates they would be replaced. That ultimatum expired on Saturday, but as the result of representations the term was extended to yesterday. The Tangarakau m6n yesterday visited the office in a body and signed the agreement. The Public Works engineer at Stratford, Mr. P. Keller, was advised of. the agreement last evening. The Mayor of Stratford, Mr. P. Thom' son, when advised that an agreement had been reached, expressed his pleasure at the .resumption of -work, as in his opinion the completion of the Taranaki-Main Trunk line was top important a matter to be delayed. "CUTS NOT FAIR OR EQUITABLE.” RESUMPTION OF TAWA FLAT WORK.

Wellington, Last Night. With the expiry of the time limit set by the Prime Minister the tunnellers at Tawa Flat have agreed to return to work on the Government’s terms, ending a stoppage that began eight weeks ago. The Government’s ultimatum stated that unless the men returned to work to-day others would be taken on jn their place. The Tawa Flat branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union deliberated more than three hours to-day, finally indicating that they were prepared to resume, providing the stoppage did not constitute a break in service for holiday purposes and that an inspecting engineer accompany a union representative on a visit to several jobs to check the reduced prices. Both conditions were accepted. Mr. Arthur Cook, secretary of the union, said the cuts imposed were neither fair nor equitable and the acceptance of the department’s conditions in no way indicated the men’s satisfaction.