Public Servants’ Attitude

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1932, Page 5

Public Servants’ Attitude

FOUR BIG ASSOCIATIONS CO-OPERATING IN THE CONFERENCE. CHRISTCHURCH, April 1. Air F. W. Millar, general secretary of the Public. Service Association, made a statement this morning denying that his organisation took any official part in the New Zealand Labour Conference in Wellington yesterday, though two organisations connected with the Association did send delegates as individual bodies, but these hud previously agreed to abide by the policy of the combined public service. WELLINGTON, April 1.

According to a statement that has now been issued by the Press CommitItee of the Combined Conference of ipublic Service and Industrial Organt nations, the Press Association message from Christchurch to-d",y outlining a disclaimer made by Air F. W. Millar (General Secretary of the Public Service AL;.:oci..tio :) to tho effect that the State Servants were not represented I officially through their organisations at this Industrial Conference in Wellington, has created an entirely wrong [impression insofar as some of the largo organisations are concerned. The statement proceeds:—Mr Millar’s organisation was designated

44 The Public Service Association”, thereby implying a complete and com prehensive 'membership of the State Servants; but, in point of fact, there are eight different Public Service A“ sociations, and. Air Millar’s particular ono embraces approximately seve” thousand less than one-seventh of tho total employees. “It is a fact,’’ the statement or the Committee continues, “that the Combined State Servants Association i decided to co-operate in any approved protest against the Government’s WS-K? and salary reduction, but four of the ! Associations, including Mr Millar’s, wore not prepared to join tho Industrial Conference. The remaining four Associations, representing the greatest majority of the Post and Telegraph employees and the Railway employees, rjnd over forty per cent, of all the State Servants have taken a different l view, and they are actively participating in the Conference, with the full belief that concerted action by all ot the workers is necessary to stem the retrograde policy of the Government ”