"LOCO" MEN IN CONFERENCE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14219, 17 February 1914, Page 6

"LOCO" MEN IN CONFERENCE.

CHRISTCHURCH, February 16. The conference of the N.Z. Locomotive Engine Drivers’, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association was resumed to-day. The report supplied stated that the Grand Council had considered the present system of compulsory retirement from the superannuation fund upon retiring from the service as a distinct hardship, inasmuch as it deleted benefits and amounted to a punishment of the members concerned. The Council held that the insurance fund should be governed by commercial principles and a. contributor once admitted should have the option of counting his contributions until his policy expired. At present members retiring at their own option or by direction only received the actual money they had paid in, minus interest. It was a matter of speculation whether the fund would benefit a contrifor at the last moment, after forty years’ service, misadventure might deprive 'f-ember from participation in the benol is. Tiie Council required a more equitable control and a definite benefit danse, independent of the vagaries of the service. A member engaged on the Council was uissalislied with the present medical exam, for departmental requirements, and held that a member interested should have the choice of a doctor so as to be in line with the present practice of the Department ■ a nominating the medical officer they inquired. It was understood'that pay for all certificates was required to detect a malingerer, but in contravention of the wording „f the Act the Department asked I an employee to carry a double burden of expense.

lu view of the remit Ai.sgill disaster being attributed to the use "of inferior coal, unduly harassing the engine crew in the more important matter of attending to public safety, (ho fact that an improvement was 'urgently needed in the standard of coal supplied to the New Zealand Government railways, the Council were making special representations to the Department to remove the trouble and so avert a looming, danger. It was urged that for public safety there must bo adequate boiler power, with suitable coal. The practice of'supplying coke in substitution for coal at Frauktou in particular was causing extreme anxiety to the men. Alterations to the constitution and niles were considered and an address was delivered by Miss Mitchell, of the Social Democratic Tarty. ; >