TREATMENT OF POSTAL OFFICIALS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 305, 18 September 1908, Page 8

TREATMENT OF POSTAL OFFICIALS.

■ ♦ ALLEGED "SYSTEM OF TERRORISM." RESOLUTION BY TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL. Recent Auckland oxchanges contain serious allegations as to tho treatment two officials of tho Auckland Post Office have received at the hands of tho Department in connection with the disappearance of tho contents of private envelopes going through tho post. Tho two men were arrested after frequently protesting their innocence, but at the Supremo Court the charges were quickly dismissed. Tho Auckland Trades and Labour Council took tho matter up, and it is reported as follows in the "New Zealand Herald": — At the last meeting of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, Mr. Peake said ho desired to bring under notice the necessity of protecting a class of workers who apparently bad'v needed it. He referred to tho post office employees. Two of their number had boon recently arrested and taken to prison in a haphazard way that was most disgraceful in- a civilised community. Ono had been handcuffed to a drunkard. Theso men were arrested on tho accusation of ono man, handcuffed, and taken to the cells. Subsequently, when tho charge was heard, tho there was not enough evidence on which .to hang a cat, and they wore acquitted without a stain on .their character; but the proceedings had, nevertheless, cast a stigma on thorn that they would bear through life. There ought to be one or two officials in the Postal Department deputed to inquire into any charges made against employees, and see if there was sufficient evidence to warrant extremo measures before the}; wero taken. There were a number of officials in the Postal Department who were working under a system of terrorism that should not be permitted in any civilised country, and would not be permitted in New Zealand if it wero known. He moved: — ' 'That the Government bo earnestly requested to make inquiry into tho post office scandal recently before the Supremo Court, and to also make inquiry into tho working conditions and Sunday hours of tho Postal Department." Mr. J. Macguire, in seconding the motion, expressed the opinion that it was hardly safo for a man to work in the Postal Department at tho present time when such things occurred. Another member said that tho fact of ono of the young men being handcuffed to a drunken man should bo looked into. Tho mover of the resolution declared that when tho young men wero taken to Mount Eden Gaol they wero treated as common malefactors. A man was supposed to bo innocont till he was proved guilty. Tho sort of treatment out to theso young men was what might liavo been expected in Russia, but not in a country liko New Zbaland. Mr. .Rosser said the worst aspect of tho caso was that those young men had been remanded from time to .time, and bail refused. The motion was carried. DEPARTMENTAL OFFICIAL'S REPLY. "DISCIPLINE MUST BE MAINTAINED." Questioned by a "Star" representative on tho subject, Sir. A. P. Dryden, assistant chief postmaster, stated that lie had been informed by Chief-Detective Marsack that tho men had not been handcuffcd when arrested. 1 "I don't know what to reply to theso allegations of terrorism," said Mr. Dryden, "because I don't know what they mean. What is the terrorism? I can only say that I am unaware of any such thing in the slightest degree in this office. Tho statement that it exists is a matter of old standing, and I hoard about it three,or four years ago, but I can't say I am any noarer finding out what it refers to. In ail largo institutions, and especially in ono liko this,, whore' public property is distributed so indiscriminately to such a large number of olriccrs, discipline must bo maintained, it is very doubtful, naturally, whether men in any- institution like discipline, but oven if . they do not, that is hardly a reason for its discontinuance, and especially in this office we must uphold it. Tho men cannot bo allowed to do just as they like. l r or instance, men arc not allowed to remain in the building when off duty, or to go promiscuously into other branches or rooms of the Department. And if men in any big institution aro not to be called to account when -they make mistakes, what sort of conditions do you think aro going to prevail?" It is understood that the young men are petitioning Cabinet for compensation.