VETO BY GOVERNMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1922, Page 7

VETO BY GOVERNMENT.

PROPOSED P. AND T. ALLIANCE ON HO ACCOUNT WHATEVER.' - j r i PREMIER'S REPLY TO DEPTTATIOX i ' —""~~~ (By Telegraph.—l , res.-? Association.) [ WELLINGTON, this day. . A deputation of well over a hundred, j representing the Welfare League, chamt - hers, of commerce., shipping, commercial, professional and business interests waited on the Premier and Postmaster-General (to-day ;n reference to the decision of , the P. and T. Association to join the Alliance of Labour. Mr. Matthew Carr. the leading spokee- ! man, said when he read the result of f the ballot lie was greatly concerned, and felt he muet voice a protest. He viewed the decision of the Government f to refuse to permit of affiliation with s satisfaction. They were thoroughly ope posed to a body like the P. and T. (brain f workers, with appeal boarde, super- . animation and all privileges of the State t eerviee, being allowed to ally themselves j with those who preached not only direct ; action against their own immediate emj ploycrs but against the whole community. . He suggested there wae some underlying c reason for the decision, that it was a . case of "under which King," the Governi. meiit or the Alliance of Labour. There f could be no intermediate position. Such c an alliance could not, be tolerated. Ff a clash came they must be ehoulder to shoulder with the Government in the light. Mr. ■!. T Martin (president of tiie j! Chamber of Commerce) said it propag ganda from such a body as the Alliance of Labour was to be infused in the P. ■ and T. Department- it would tend to undermine all loyalty and secrecy. He urged the Government to absolutely ' decline to deal with the Alliance of Labour in any matters affecting the P. . arid T. Association, and if the P. and T. [ Association became part of the Alliance to refuse recognition of the association. Mr. Magsey. in reply, eaid a very large proportion of the Poet and Telegraph Association was thoroughly reli- ' able. They were <( trustworthy officers, and correspondence was per- : fectly safe in their hands, but the proposed action aroused suspicion. In the event of industrial trouble eorreepondence would not be safe. The Govern- , ment wanted a satiefacbory Public Service, and recognised it could not get that unless they had a satisfied Public Service. ; They could not have two Government* in : one-country. Any attempt to bring that about would cause serious trouble. "1 assure you." lie concluded, "that the . Governmeni will on no account consent . to tlie affiliation of the Post and Telegraph Association with the Alliance of Labour. We are not going to allow this thing to drift." The Premier referred to the Tost and Telegraph reply to Mr. Coatcs, Raying that his letter' would bipublished in the official newspaper of the Association, the "Katipo." and would be dufy placed before members tor discussion. Xo date was given. •'That," Mr. Massey eaid. ""was not a pro-per reply to the Government. The Government should j have been told doiinitely and clearly when the letter was to be placed before members aTic! when the Government ■ would receive the reply. It appears tr> mc an attempt to flout the Government. Very well. We won't stand for that ' sort of thing." He thought tha.t if the ' Post and Telegraph had an i opportunity of taking another ballot I they would reverse the decision. \ The Premier concluded: "I have a pretty good idea of what the next move will lie, but 1 do not want to discues that now. I will «ay this: The Govern- | meht will not on any account whatever put up with the Post and Telegraph service joining the Alliance of Labour."