POLITICAL NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13335, 11 July 1907, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

I>AY OF RAILWAY-MEN.

Special—By Telegraph.

WELLINGTON, July 10. Sir W. J. Steward asked - the ActingMinister for Railways to-day whether hi is attention had been called to- the fact that while during the last' five years an increase of pay had been granted to other railway officers and employees, the guards had apparently bean overlooked, being now in the same position as they were twenty j-eara ago, and •-whether in view of the increased cost- of relit and living (estimated at fully 20 per cent) and. of (lie fact that- the position was one, of great re-spone-ib litv, he would provide for an increase of'pay to this class of railway employees. ■ . Sir J. G. Ward said tli; question of pay of various classes of railway employees would be. reviewed in connection witli tho amendments of the Classification Ack which, as already 'announced, would be placed before the' House during the present se'sion. Although the pay of guards had not been recently increased 'from a monetary point of view "they, participated on Ist April last in /a. reduction of hours given in respect, to guards, enginemen, firemen, and signalmen, the value of which concession was approxiamately £21,000 per annum. ' . Sir W. J. Steward received an intimation that the question of pay of bridgekeepers would be considered when the classification proposals, were und,er review and the raihvav service as u- whole 'would then be dealt with comprehensively. ■ STATE COAL DEPOTS, Mr Flatman asked' the • Government whether they had considered the justice and necessity of establishing State coal depots in all the townships, in South Canterbury; if not would they explain the reason'for delay in so doing. The Hon. Mr McGownn said that the wliole: question .of the establishment ot State coal depots was receiving attention but at present an extension, of this branch of the business was not advisable as the demands of the Railway Department and exii'tnicr depots were in excess of the mine s output. Further mine development was (roinff on and it iwas hoped that a large increase in the output would take place in the near future. TELEPHONE EXTENSION The Postmastta.--Ger.cial informed Mr Flatman that every application for the extension of telephone communication to sparsely populated districts was considered separately and dealt with on its inen^ s - He could nut. fee his way at present to authorise any reduction m thf charges t J subscribers for connections with the telephone exchanges. . r rTvr>i? \ t 4GIINST PREFERENTIAL TREAT- * * MENT. Sir W. J. Steward asked .the Minister of Railways whether he will favourably consider a suggestion that a liberal concession be. given in tlie matter of rculuay fares to teachers of schools who reside at. a distance from their respective schools', and have to travel by rail between their residences and schools; and ministers of religion when travelling by rail for visitation of the sick. The Minister, said (.hat the fares in operation on 'the railways are very low arid from no bar whatever to travel. Where persons reside at a distance from their work they can avail themselves of dlher 50 trip-is ingle, 50-trip family, 12-trip ordinary workers, or ordinary season tickets which are issued at rates which for the mileage travelled'are less than the ordinary rates. There is not cogent reason why .school teachers who reside away from their school and have to travel bv rail, should receive preferential treatment in so far as rates' for travel by rail are concerned. Every workman or other person who travels over the railways in the oidinarv course of his business is expected to pay the ordinary rates for the distance he travels, and if school teachers reside at. such distances from their* schools as to necessitate the utilisation of the train service for travelling between the school and their homes they must conform to the regulations and pay the usual rates in precisely the same manner as other members of tlio community have to do. Minister of religion travelling by rail to visit the sick must likewise conform to the regulations. Prefeivntial treatment' such as is suggested is illegal and would undoubtedly cause grave dissatisfaction tii the bulk of the user- of the- railways, and he docis .not consider that the circumstances of either the teachers or the ministers are .such as to justify special consideration being extended to them.