The Press Thursday, April 13, 1922. The Government and the Postal Servants.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17429, 13 April 1922, Page 6

The Press T hursday, April 13, 1922. The Government and the Postal Servants.

There will be widespread approval for the'reply given by Mr Massey yesterday to the deputation w,hich waited upon him in "Wellington to urge that the Government should decline to recognise the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association if it completes affiliation with the Alliance of Labour. We made this suggestion ourselves as soon as the result of the Association's ballot was made known, and the Government has already indicated that it will not only not recognise the Association, but also ta*ke such positive steps as are necessary. The Government, indeed, hardly waited for a lead from the public, but promptly informed the Association that it took a very grave view of the result of the ballot. There has been abundant evidence that public opinion is with the Government, although, of course, Labour organisations everywhere are cheering on the misguided majority who voted to place the postal service in t"he control of the Alliance of Labour. Indeed, it is rarely that public opinion is so united as it is in condemnation of the Association's decision. Mr Massey, in replying to the deputation yesterday, was anxious to avoid doing an injustice to those members of the postal service who are not only thoroughly reliable and trustworthy, but are also conscious of the impropriety of association with the Labour Alliance. Having made the necessary reservations upon this point, the Prime Minister said that the proposal to affiliate with the Alliance of Labour had aroused doubt in the pub-* 1 lie mind ns to the security and safety df the Post Office. He might' have gone further, and said that most people who have paid attention to the working of Labeur militancy are perfectly .certain that in the event of any serious; Labour orisis, the Post Office can be made an instrument of the militants' strategy. As to .the Government's policy, the Prime Minister did not go intq details, but he mafle it perfectly plain that his policy is not going to be passive: "The Government will on "no account consent to the affiliation "of the' Post and Telegraph Officers' "Association with the Alliance of " labour*' We are opt going to allow this "thing to drift." He is not, for example,, going tc permit the Associa|£l»^<' ignore: the Poatmaster-Gener&l's 'demand th'at an, early reply be sent to Ms letter to the secretary of the Association. The Postmaster-General has now sent a further letter to the secretary/ insisting upon an early, declaration of the Association's attitude, And offering facilities to the executive to meet in Wellington. Should the executive, listening to the foolish applauaa of the Reds rather than to the protects 6t the public, take no steps to' reconsider its position, then the Gjjrernment will be entitled to take 'action, \ That Action njay take the form of, disciplinary measures in respect of iriwthhers of the executive or in respect «*f, 'members of the Association if affiuW fmsJ» completed. In any event the [pnbtta Will firmly support the Govern/SJqejUt in' its determination to protect postal service and the public AgsJffiA' the designs of the Alliance of Labour