RAILWAY MEN'S GRIEVANCES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 9 October 1912, Page 3

RAILWAY MEN'S GRIEVANCES.

(Per Press Association.)

DUNEDIN. October 7

A largo and enthusiastic meeting of railway officers was held to-night to hear a report by the delegates who recently waited on the Minister of Railways with regard to carrying out the findings of the Railway Parliamentary Committee which reported favourably on the petition of the railway officers presented to Parliament last year. A resolution was carried unanimously deploring the action of the Government in refusing to give full effect to the recommendations of the Railway Committee, and regarding such accion as a distinct breach of faith, inasmuch as members of the Government and the Reform Party generally gave a definite assurance^ that the recommendations would be carried out in their entirety; also deploring that while the Government was granting concessions in various directions, costing many thousands per annum, tho claims of tho railway officers were being ignored. 'Another resolution, endorsed the action of the executivo in advising the Minister that the proposals made by him to the Executive were so much below tho findings of the Railway Committee and of the scale oi salaries in the Public Service Act for other branches of the Government servico that they were totally inadequate, and expressed opinion that tho dissatisfaction in tho First T)ivi.-:i m v->rld be intensified by *he attitudo nl ih- Minister. It was decided to urgo the executive to continue- to press for conditions of nay, leave, etc., •?<■ ual to thoso in the Post anj Tol-ogravii Department and other branches of the public service.

CHRTSTCHURCH, October 8

At a largely attended meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the Railway Officers' Institute, tho following resolutions wero carried unanimously: (O This meeting approves tho action of delegates in deciding to continue our demands for equality of treatment with other branches of tho public service, and Vill do all in its favour to assist the Institute .in furthering the objects in view; (2) this meeting is of opinion that the reply of the Minister is inadequate to satisfy the officers of tho railway service; (3) we consider if tho Department bases tho salaries of railway officers on percentages of profit, it places these officers in a position unenviably unique in the public service of tho Dominion ; (4) wo consider that if such prnctico be enforced, it will bo tho d'itv of officers to criticivso tho policy of tho administration of railways; (5) no just and sufficient reasons have been given why our salaries nnd other condit'oni should not be equal to the pay of officers m other public services of the Dominion.