RAILWAY WAGES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160795, 1 November 1920, Page 5

RAILWAY WAGES.

AN AUTHORISING BILL. (By Telegraph—Special to “Herald”). WELLINGTON, Oct. 30. The agreements made with various Railway Societies, embodying increases in Wages to meet the coat of living have been incorporated in an amendment of the Railway Department’s classification introduced by the Minister of Railways. There is no provision such as was suggested by the Minister for an automatic reduction of wages if the cost of living falls. Apparently any tribunal which investigates the relation of the cost of living index number to the railway wages will have to report to the Government, and if reductions are Justified they must be made by Act of Parliament. The Bill increases the maximum pay of tHh chief signal engineer from jfiSOO to i! 900, and authorises special allowances to employees and those who work specially imported machines. Clause 84 of the Superannuation Act, which fixes the rate of superannuation at retirement, is amended to provide that where a member has been promoted within three years, the basis, for computation of his retiring allowance shall be the average rate of pay received during the three years preceding his retirement. Apprentices are to -be classified in D 3. To facilitate the Department's housing scheme, a clause empowers th* Governor-in-Council to take land compulsorily for the purposes—sites for railway dwellings. Power is given to a Magistrate on the application of the permanent head of .the Railway Department, to make an order of ejectment against any person occupying a railway dwelling, if he is not a railway employee, notwithstanding the provisions in ths War Legislation Act for the protection of tenants, if the Magistrate is satisfied that the dwelling is required by the Department for a railway employee.