POSTAL OFFICERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 October 1924, Page 6

POSTAL OFFICERS.

CREATION OF DISCONTENT. POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S REPLY.' The Postmaster-General (Hon. J. G. Coates) made the following statement to a. Dominion; reporter on Tuesday: “I have 'read the reply/published yesterday by the secretary of the Post 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. Air Combs states that lie 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 say such resolutions could just as easily, be engineered as was the oiie 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 discontent' 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 is an exact copy of, Mr; Combs’ 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, up liis alleged discontent., Air -Conibs says tlie 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 message boys, 11 are. juniors of 17 and 18 years of age, and 9 are women who resigned to marry, leaving a balance of six a month out of a staff of 9000 to support-Mr Combs ’ contention that the. service is resigning because’ it is discontented.

“Air Combs denies ‘flatly’ that resolutions, are framed iii Wellington and then broadcasted to. the various sections. Will Air .Combs publish in the daily press his circular to ‘Section Secretaries,’ calling on them to hold an urgent meeting, and pass resolutions of protest against the proposed land and income tax concessions, or will he deny that such a circular memorandum was issued bv him?’’ \ . 4