POSTAL SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 80, 1 October 1924, Page 6

POSTAL SERVICE

' CIRCULAR TO JUNIORS

MINISTER REPLIES TO MR

COMBS

The Postmaster-General (ths Hon. J. Gv Coates) yesterday made the following reply to the statement of Mr. H. E. Combs, secretary of the Post and Tele- . graph Officers' Association, with reference to the circular which was recently distributed amongst junior . officers of the Department on the salaries question : —

"I have read the reply, published yesterday by the secretary of the Port and Telegraph Officers' Association, to the definite charge that the association secretary manufactured the alleged discontent among the officers, and I desire to refer to certain portions thereof. Mr' Combs states that he did not wish to measure the discontent in the service, but added that resolutions 'expressing confidence in the executive of the association have been passed from one end -of'the Dominion to the other.' To this I ~eay" such "resolutions could just as easily be engineered as was the one ■about the proposed reduction in land and income tax. .Mr. Combs states that contentment is a comparative 'thing, and professes that because a few lads; complied with his ■'urgent" request to protest to members- of Parliament, '.'it.certainly shows a measure of discontent' It does, but why does Mr. Combs not admit that it is artificial dis- ■■ content manufactured by his message to the boys, 'I want to most strongly urge you to enter a strong protest.'. Such tactics: are incomprehensible when one realises' that practically every letter received i 3 an exact copy S>.( Mr;; Combs's,draft... This indicates that the lads were so young and inexperienced that they, did not appreciate that they could vary the protest if they saw fit. . . •

.;._'.'.To bolster np his alleged discontent,"1 Mr; Combs-says ■'.-the resignations from the-Department 'exceed fifty per month at"present.' " What are the ."facts.? ..'The.average*.which, is slightly less this year than the past two, years, is 38 a month, of whom 12 are mes-sage-boys, 11 are juniors of 17 and 18 years of age,' and 9 are women who resigned' to' marry, leaving a balance of-6 a month ont of a staff of 9000 to ,B"PP°^:. Mr- .Oombs's contention that .the service': is*"VfesigningTbecause' it is ■.discontented." ■ ..•■•• ■■

: 'Mr. Combs denies 'flatly' that reso-■-Ivrtions are-tramed. in Wellington and ■then- broadcasted -to the various sections, . Will Mr. Combs pablish in the ,Mly Pees? ;his^;circular., ta--.'Section becretanes; calling ■on" them to hold an urgent-meeting and pass resolutions of protest against the-proposed Ja ™.,aD?: income tax concessions, or will he deny, .'that such" a* circular-mem-orandum issued" by Him?"