"TOTALLY INADEQUATE"

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12777, 22 October 1919, Page 8

"TOTALLY INADEQUATE"

, f A.S.R.S. VIEW OP RAILWAY BILL. [Pbr Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 22. At a special. emergency meeting of the Wellington branch of the ' Amalgamated. Society of Railway Servants, held at the Petone workshops to-day, the following motion was carried unanimously : “This mass meeting of the Wellington branch of the A.S.R.S. considers that the Railway Bill now before Parliament is totally inadequate in its provision for increases in wages to the members of the second division; also that whilst granting large increases in salaries to members of the first division the Minister of Railways refused the request of our executive to grant a further increase, of 2s per day to members of the second division. Further that this branch supports the executive in any action taken ( to obtain recognition of our just demands. We are of opinion that this increase to the heads'of the Department is a move to increase superannuation benefits, as most, of them‘are of the retiring age.” The Woodville branch of the A.S.R.S. at a special meeting held yesterday carried a resolution expressing alarm at the attempt made in Parliament to contor autocratic powers on the General Manager of Railways in the matter of promotion., If carried out this would lead to endless trouble in th© service. The meeting also protested against the proposal to grant large increases in salaries to the first division officers due to retire while no provision was made for an increase in the wages of members of, the second division, and expressed confidence in the executive pledging the members to support what! ever attitude it adopted to ■ defeat these proposals.