WAS IT TOO HARSH?

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11325, 1 October 1930, Page 5

WAS IT TOO HARSH?

DISMISSAL.' OF TELEGRAPH OFFICIALS

ECHO OF TAKAPUNA RACE MEETING

DEALVND IN HOUSE FOR REINSTATEMENT’S

AIINISTERi REMAINS ADAMANT

(Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 30.

~ In tho House to.-night, in Committee of Supply, when the vote of £-2,828,1-11 for tlio Post Office account was submitted, Air Savage (L.) moved that the sum should bq reduced by £lO. He said that the object of lii’s amendment was to in--dicato that, iu the opinion of the House, the salaries, iii . tlio Department should ho fixed by a- process of arbitration, Air Harris (11.) complained that .the Alinisler had announced no decision on the subject of petitions on which the Pelitios Committee of the House had recently submitted an unanimous recommendation. He inferred to the committee’s recommendation that the petitions of the Auckland telegraph, employees lor relief in connection with their dismissal following tlio- Takapuna race meeting should receive most favorable consideration. The Alinistcr said the point raised by Air Savage had received the consideration of Cabinet, which bad decided that it could not agree to the proposal. , ~ Referring to the remarks ol Mr Harris, Air Donald said the petitions had been discussed by Cabinet, and it liad been decided that no action should be taken. Lhe Minister explained that the men bad been dismissed l’or divulging information. Their eases liad been investigated by a magistrate, who had decided they were guilty ol the clnuges laid against them. The men had appealed to a court consisting of a magistrate and two other- rcpiescntatives. Air Donald stated that the Court of Appeal had investigated the penalties as well as tlie charges,.and •it liad confirmed the penalties inflicted. • , • - , i Continuing, the Alinisler insisted that it was essential that the secrecy of the Post Office should be nunn-ta-ined. The men had been fully aware that .if they abused The trust reposed in them, they would he dismissed. , , , , j. Air H. E. Holland (Labor leader), said lie did not think anv section of •the House would be inclined to accept file position. It- was true the men had been tried bv two courts but they bad then come'to the last court of appeal in the land. Ilie J otitions* Committee had beard’all the. •evideucc, and had declared that the punishment was unduly harsh. It- appeared that the Government was prepared to protect .bookmakers who were using the facilities ol the Department' illegally. . Tlie lion. E. A. Ransom said Cabinet had carefully considered the eases. It was evident that the essential secrecy of the Department had boon disregarded, and this was a serious matter, notwithstanding the fact that it related to racing inlorm-at-ion. He reminded the House that •even the representative of the men themselves on the Appeal Court had agreed with the finding that they were guilty. Evidence before Cabinethad disclosed 'that on one. day information liad gone out of the office on fifty occasions, and on another da-v information which should! have been secret had been divulged on forty occasions, .lie could not say whether it was all racing information. . Labor members: ‘ YVoiildn t- a- reprimand have 1 been sufficient penalty?” AH Ransom: There was no other course open than to support the Secretary in maintaining the efficiency and the secrecy of the Ucparemen t. . . . Air Semple (L.) said that, he wished to lodge a- protest against, the treatment which Select Committees had to put up with. Surely the House could instruct tlie Government or the responsible Minister to he reasonable with its 1 servants? It had not been suggested that some punishment was not justified, but it- Was contended that tlie punishment united out to the. men was altogether out of proportion. . • Air Coates said one point had not. been made clear. The head of. the Department was controlled entirely by legislation. This being so. if an appeal were disallowed, the Department liad no option but to put the dismissals into effect. Air Coates expressed some alarm at the use that was appparentlv being made, of the tqlegrgph office lpr batting 1010LI T!i 0 Mori. J. B. Done Id stated that the men at Auckland had been warned against using the office telephono for betting purposes. Continuing, tlio Alinistcr said that a tip did not constitute a betting telegram. For instance a telegram stating that a horse liad 'a chance of winning could not be refusedMr ..uangsteme (L.) alleged that every postmaster in New Zealand was aware of the number of betting telegrams that were transmitted on race days. Ho asserted that the Department’s “spy system” in connection with tlio cases under consideration had been inaugurated at the holiest of the bookmakers. Air Donald denied that .complaints liad eoiue from bookmakers; they had come' from owners and trainers. Progress was reported and the House rose. ••