Postmaster’s Many Duties

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 11

Postmaster’s Many Duties

Sir, —Since the advent of the Labour Party to the control of our Parliamentary machine, workers generally have benefited in the reduction of hours in their working week, but there is one section of the community which has been overlooked and not considered in the recent legislation. , I allude to istmasters. It is beyond my ken why that class of rival servant is not permitted to share with his fellowworkers in the 40-hour week. The most aggravating injustice imposed on a postmatser is tl. - increasing amount of additional work and responsibility which, if a halt is not called, will result in ill-health, or premature retirements, of the individuals concerned. . It is fairly generally known that m May, employment tax, and motor relicensing, in addition to ordinary postal business, causes a severe strain on country postmasters, and it is about time that the matter was looked into with a view to spreading some of the work over the succeeding months. It must not be overlooked that most country postmasters are certifying officers for the Labour Department, and the amount of work in that particular class of business is only known to those officers who are handling it. Surely the time is now opportune for unemployment work to be taken from the post office and given to local bodies, or handled by the Labour Department?. Evidently postmasters are too timid to ventilate their grievances to their departmental head or the Minister, for they are afraid of being marked down. 1 am not a public servant, but for some time I have realised the enormous amount of work postmasters are called upon to perform, and feel that the time is. ripe for a general stocktaking by the Prime Minister or the Minister concerned, to see that our fellow citizen- receive a fair deal in these enlightened days.—l am, Christchurch, May 6. FAIR PLAY.