CO-OPERATION IN POST OFFICE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23203, 14 December 1940, Page 9

CO-OPERATION IN POST OFFICE

ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF SCHEME TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, December 13. “Real democracy should not begin and end at the ballot box,” said the Postmaster-General (the Hon. P. C. Webb) addressing the opening meeting of the Post Office Advisory Council. ’ “It should live in the hearts and minds of the people,” he said. “All members , of the community should feel that they , are sufficiently important to be given , an intelligent interest in the welfare of the society of which they form a part.

“I look forward to many improve- ! ments being made as a result of the deliberations of this council, improvements in services to the public, improvements in the working conditions of the staff, and, what is equally important, promotion of the feeling of good-fellowship throughout the service. I want to congratulate the DirectorGeneral (Mr J. G. Young) most heart-

ily on the formation of this council I believe it will be a wonderful success in the Post Office and will lay the foundation of many more councils in other industrial walks of life.” The council to which the Minister was referring is the Joint Advisory Council of the Post Office, the fountainhead of a series of advisory committees which have been set up to facilir tate consultation between the administration and staff on departmental matters. Of the 12 members on the coun-

cil six are nominated by the DirectorGeneral and six by the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association and Offi-

cers’ Guild. The chairman is one of the departmental nominees. The main object of the advisory system is to secure in matters affecting the efficient working of the department and well-being of those employed the greatest measure of co-operation between the administration and executives of the Post Office and the general body of the staff. * ' There are three layers of committees in the system. At the ground level are the branch or staff advisory committees, which facilitate consultation between executive and staff on

matters affecting primarily the different branches. Next come district advisory committees comprising leaders of the departmental and staff sides of

the branch advisory committees. These district advisory committees are concerned with matters affecting the districts. They also form an intermediary and provide a channel of communication between the branch advisory committees and the joint advisory council. At the apex of pyramid is the joint advisory council, which deals with matters affecting the whole department.

Questions for the consideration of the joint advisory council may be referred By the departmental head or by any committee. Committees in referring matters to the council may make recommendations to district and branch advisory committees, which have already been formed at a number of centres. Members of the advisory council are; Departmental nominees. Messrs J. Mad-

den (chairman), W. M. B. Veitch, T. Paton, P. N. Cryer. J. J. Knight, and L. F. Smith. Service nominees, Messrs T. Falconer. O. J. Mullins, C. J. Dorrian. P. T. Berry, J. G. Churchill, and A. Halliday.