RATIONING OPPOSED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 301, 19 December 1931, Page 1

RATIONING OPPOSED.

Viewpoint of Railwaymen Stated. “LIMIT OF SACRIFICE.” (Special to the ** Star.”) WELLINGTON, December 19. Employees of the railway workshops are definitely against the rationing of work, states Mr Ingram, the general secretary of the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, who has just completed a tour of the chief workshops to discuss this subject with the men. Formerly a skilled tradesman’s wage was £5 3s 7d weekly, but with the wage cuts, superannuation and sick benefit deductions, increased rents and wages tax, their net wage is £4 13s. “ They feel,” said Mr Ingram, “ that they have reached the limit of sacrifice and cannot manage on less. Our men, naturally, are anxious to help their fellows, 200 of whom are under notice of dismissal, but they cannot manage it, nor do we think there is a necessity for such drastic curtailment, following on a long* series of dismissals, as the railway workshops have now got to the stage where the department has dispensed with some of its normal staff jmd has less than the number needed for coping with the normal maintenance programme.” There was a recent interview of the Tradesmen’s Association representatives with the Rt Hon J. G. Coates, as Minister of Unemployment, to discuss the workshops dismissals. Mr Coates then asked the men’s organisation to undertake to ascertain the opinion of members on a rationing system, with a view to obviating further dismissals. Though it was known that the Railway Board had expressed an adverse opinion on this system Mr Coates considered that, under the circumstances, if the men gave definite approval to it, he might be able to induce the Railway Board to accept rationing. Mr Ingram expresses the opinion that as many of the casuals now under notice have from twelve to twenty years’ service with the Department they should be regarded in the same position as permanent members and not be dismissed. If the proposed dismissals eventuate there will be no casuals left in the Otahuhu, Hillside and Addington Workshops and only a small number at Hutt.