PLEA FOR ECONOMY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLII, Issue 9372, 29 October 1921, Page 5

PLEA FOR ECONOMY

POST AND TELEGRAPHS. FURTHER RETRENCHMENT. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 28. . A report of retrenchment m. the Post and Telegraph Department was I the subject of a question put to the ! Postmaster-Gene.ral m the House of I Representatives to-day. It was asked if it was true, that a number of addi--1 tional officers had received notices of ' dismissal', and that a drastic scheme of . ! retrenchment had been adopted. Had the Minister sought the co-operation of the iPost and Telegraph Officers' Association m order to reach an amicable understanding m the manner that had been adopted m the railway service? | The Postmaster-General (the Hon. .J. G. Coate.s) said he intended to I make a statement on the subject at a ! later date. "It is very necessary that I the officers of the Post and Telegraph I Department shall be reduced m num- ■ ben," he said. "When I made a state--j ment later I will show the reason. I j would not call it drastic retrenchment. 1 Some officers are going out. The next batch will include' about 83." Mr Mitchelk All m Wellington? The Minister: Wellington is not 1 | New Zealand. It ie a very important [centre. It is the hub of the universe las far as the hon. gentleman is con- ' cerned, but it is not the whole of New [Zealand. lam talking about the New | Zealand Post and Telegraph -service. I j regret that it is necessary that certain retrenchments should be made. I have not asked the Post and Telegraph i Officers' Association whether they agree to my scheme or" not. I hope to have their co-operation all through j what promises to be a. rather difficult period."