THE LOCO. MEN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15835, 4 June 1919, Page 2

THE LOCO. MEN.

THE ROUND-TABLE CONFERENCE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 3, Further correspondence of a lengthy nature has passed, between the ActingPrime Minister and the Locomotive Engineers’ Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association in reference to the Association’s demands. After reviewing the circumstances of previous deputations. Sir James Allen concludes his letter with the following statement; ‘‘With regard to the suggestion that the round-table conference should be arranged to further discuss the proposals, I have to state that the Hon. Herries and the General Manager of Railways would be quite willing to meet your council on June 9th, questions for discussion being matters that affect the Railway Department, which is under the control of Mr Herries. He will, of course, as is usual in such caoes, preside at the meeting. A little reflection will, I have no doubt, convince you that another Minister of the Crown could not permit himself to be placed in a false position by presiding over a meeting held for the purpose of reviewing the discussion of a colleague concerning that colleague’s administration of his own Department. With reference to the 44-hour week, I would point, but

that this applies strictly to the various workships, and not to the running sections of the maintenance, loco., or traffic branch.” In reply to this letter a communication has been sent to the Acting-Prime Minister by the L.E.F.C. Association, in which they state that their executive council would be pleased to accept the arrangements made to meet the Minister of Railways, and express the hope that for tb© sake of industrial peace some good will eventuate. The executive council regrets that the Government could not agree to allow a Minister to act as chairman who had had. experience in railway administration and who gave general satisfaction while Minister of Railways. It is contended that Sir James Allen’s statement regarding the 44-hour is not in keeping with the Minister’s promise that if he gave anything to the loco, men he could not resist it to others in the railway service.