POST AND TELEGRAPH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 132, 5 June 1915, Page 9

POST AND TELEGRAPH

CONFERENCE OF OFFICERS. \ The conference of Post and Telegraph' 1 officers, which opened at Wellington on Thursday, decided that the association 1 should have an officer who could devoteall his time to the work. To meet the' extra ' expenses entailed by the change, it was agreed that the annual subscription be increased, and that the association become incorporated under the Unclassified Societies Act. It was agreed to ask the Commissioner to place officers of the Post and Tele- , graph Department on the Bame footing , as other public servants' with regard to medical certificates after absence on sick •' leave. It was also decided to ask the Public Service Commissioner to review the cohditions of Expeditionary Force leave with a view to granting half-pay to all officers who are accepted by the Defence authorities. The conference considered that members of the Post and Telegraph Department who volunteered for service abroad , and were forced to resign, because leave was refused them, should be reinstated and placed on leave, so that should they desire to re-enter the service on their return to New Zealand they may be able to do so without losing their' seniority or superannuation. Representations are to be made to the Government to repeal Section 51 of the Public Service Act, which gives the Commissioner the right to dismiss any, officer without giving any reason. Among other resolutions carried were the following :-~That the conference affirms the principle that in all cases where it is necessary to relieve a senior officer or an officer filling a position which possibly will be raised in grade, the officer next in line for promotion be the one selected to temporarily fill the position ; that steps should bo taken to have the constitution of the Appeal Board altered to allow of a Stipendiary Magistrate being chairman of the board, and thafc counsel be allowed to appear on behalf of any appellant; that in the opiuioii of this association the official replies to appeals heard by the Appeal Board should reach the appellant direct from the board. That such replies should Bet out the grounds for the decision arrived at; that the Appeal Board should sit with open doors.