A. GRAHAM.

I.— 6a.

officers. Payment for Sunday duty, as per clause 14 of the petition, is entirely at the discretion of the Department, and is not governed by regulation. The Department says that in all business it is necessary for the staff to work overtime at stress times, and its contention is that when normal conditions prevail, the officer iii charge is expected to compensate his men for the additional time worked by them at busy times. But this contention is contrary to fact, as a sufficient staff is not generally provided to enable this to be done. Other arguments against granting the request contained in the petition are that the officers receive privileges such as free passes and privilege tickets, formerly sick-leave was granted without deduction from annual leave, and this xvas also considered a set-off against overtime. It would appear from this statement that the Railway Department is the only generous employer in the Dominion, out I would point out that outside business firms are just as liberal as. or more so than, the Railway Department. Leading business firms grant their employees annual leave on full pay in addition to public holidays, and no firm of an\ repute would deduct from their annual leave any lime off sick during the year. They also frequently grant employees a bonus yearly which is more valuable to the employees than the free pass granted to Railway employees. Furthermore, employees in business concerns in many cases get the privilege of purchasing goods at a considerable reduction on the price paid by the Railway men. It is (he practice in all shipping and railxvay companies to grant employees free passes when on annual leave Now, sir. in our Department this free pass is always trotted out, at one time as an argument against the request for leave, tit another as a set-off against overtime, and it is also regarded by the Department as an adjunct to salary. There is no legitimate reason why the Railxvay officers should not be treated the same as the officers in the Post and Telegraph Department in the matter of leave, and, as regards overtime, you must admit that tin- Railway officers receive no pavmenl under the present system. I will now put in a statement shoxving some stations ;it xvhich officers work more than nine hours per day.

Examples of Hours of Duty of Railway Officers exceeding Nine Hours per Day.

111

Station. Designation. Hours daily, not including Time off for Meals. _ Hours weekly. Remarks. Drury Ngaruawahia Frankton Junction Stationmaster Clerk Clerk Clerk Second Clerk . . Third Clerk .. Second Cadet.. Stationmaster Stationmaster '.'. ''-'! 57} 58 51 j I 46} ) 63 I .]. 55} Early shift. Alternate weeks (two clerks). Week about. Cambridge .. Morrinsville .. Summer, 7.45 a.m. to 6 p.m. ; back at night to 10 or 11 p.m. on account heavy work. Te Aroha Paeroa Karangahake Putaruru Stationmaster Cadet Stationmaster First Clerk .. Second Clerk .. Stationmaster Stationmaster Clerk Cadet Stationmaster First Clerk .. Second Clerk .. Stationmaster Stationmaster n 9} 11 12 12 10} 10$ 10$ 12| »i 9$ 57 57 591 57 » 55} ) 66 72 72 63 63 ) 63 76J ) 58} 57 71 62} 60 66 57 58 ) 51 J* 56 72 57 1 .. I 61} 1 64} f 60 58 I 58} | (il 72 72 64} 67 63 70} 54 60 64 Change weekly. Relieved one day each month. Change shifts weekly. Allowed one afternoon off weekly to compensate for extra hours worked at end of period, &c. Overtime in addition necessary to keep work up. Hours extend from 7.40 a.m. to midnight. Change weekly. Shift extends 7.30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Change weekly. Change weekly. ffy I Alternate. Late I April to September. October to March. Rotorun Ohaupo Te Awamutu Taumarunui Ongarue Levin Feilding Stationmaster Stationmaster Cadet Stationmaster B. Clerk Stationmaster Clerk Stationmaster Stationmaster Stationmaster Clerk Stationmaster Clerk Stationmast er Cadet !! io] 10 n 9$ :: '8$ 12 9} :: in 10J 10 Johnsonville Lower Hutt . . Greytown Eketahuna .. Ormond villiMakotuku Waipukurau Stationmaster »i Waipawa Otane Te Aute Farndon Napier Stationmaster Clerk Stationmaster Stutionmaster Stationmaster Stationmaster Chief Clerk .. Stationmaster 12 12 lOf 9$ 10} u| - 9 "i 10 Ward