RAILWAY OFFICERS

Grey River Argus, 22 June 1939, Page 8

RAILWAY OFFICERS

PRESS CORRESPONDENCE Resolution of Meeting j [Per Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, June 21. A large, representative general meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the Railway Officers Institute, to-night, carried the following resolutions: — "This meeting approves of the action of the Branch Secretary in forwarding copies of statements by members interrogated to all Branch secretaries and Executive Councillors, with a covering letter advising them that the matter contained therein be treated as confidential to R. 0.1. members only. "That the Branch Committees action in calling a special general meeting of the members to deal with the question of the interrogation of officers is approved. ! “That this meeting approves of Mr J. S. Roscoe’s action, in his capacity as division representative on the Railways Appeal Board, in sending full statements bj' the members interrogated to the Prime Minister, and Minister of Railways. “That this meeting has every confidence in Mr Roscoe as its representative on the Appeal Board, and as Branch Secretary, and deprecates the action of our National President, Mr Barnes, as reported in a Press Association message from Wellington, in publicly attacking him in the name of the President of the New Zealand Railways Officers Institute.” Mr Roscoe’s Statement PRESIDENT’S ACTION CRITICISED CHRISTCHURCH, June 21. "This is a question of the civil rights of public service employees as citizens of a British community,” said Mr J. S. Roscoe in a statement, replying to the criticism of Mr E. W. Barnes, the President of the Railway Officers Institute. “I agree with Mr Barnes that there are two sides to, every question. On this, there is thaw of British democratic freedom against dictatorial methods. It is inconceivable that the interrogation of railwaymen in reference to the correspondence in the newspaper had the sanction of any Minister of the Crown. Such action by Departmental heads, is, therefore, a betrayal of the trust | reposed in them, undoubtedly; and j this would embarrass the Minister for Railways and the Government, who, I have no doubt, will deal with the' matter suitably.” ' “Regarding Mr Barnes’s attack on my actions, Mr Barnes knows it was i n ‘my capacity as national representative on the Appeal Board that I gave i full particulars to the Prime Minis-j ter the Minister of Railways, and the ( Railway Officers’ Institute, as branch] secretary. I leave comment to the members of the Institute, who will, no j doubt, instruct the delegates toi the ( assembly in Wellington next Tuesday for the annual conference. j