EX-COMBATANTS' CLAIM.

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1920, Page 4

EX-COMBATANTS' CLAIM.

TO EQUAL FOOTING.

AUCKLAND, June 4

The an lost in tho Post ami Telegraph. Department was the subject of some remarks by the Postmaster-Gen-eral, the Hon. J. G. Coates, yesterday. He said that the officials' claim.-? would be dealt with as soon us jonsidei'iition of the railwayman 's ease had been concluded. ' Referring more particularly to the demand by many members of the Post and Telegraph Service who went to the war as active combatants,'to be placed on an equal footing with others who joined the postal and signalling corps, and in consequence received half civilian pay, the Minister said he sympathised with those who had not received half-pay. It was a very unfair thing to make this difference, and obviously the grant of to one section of the service and not to the other should not have been made.

"It was done, and there is the ond of it, so far as I am concerned," said Mr Coates, '' I would be pleased if I could place all ihe men on an equal footing, but the Government has considered the matter on several occasions, and the position is that we cannot make the concession. Personally I would certainly like to see those men who fought in tho lvnks get half civil pay, because I think they deserve it more than the men who went away with the postal corps, that is having regard to the difference in their duties. I say this as a matter of principle, not that I agree with the granting of half civil pay in the lirst instance."