POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 23 October 1911, Page 2

POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

REUNION AT THE MASONIC HALL. A lurgy gbcl&l gathering of .memfbers 'of the 'Nelson 'branch of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Officers' Association was held at the Masonic Hall on Saturday 1 evening, about fifty being present, a.nd a very enjoyable time was spent. Mr. Carmine presided, and among those present were Mr. Ward (Chief Postmaster). Mr. 'Coomlbe (lOhie'E Glfei'k); <u id i Mfessl'S Mlorl-

ii%g aiid 1 Johii'stone, Eastern Extension i(Ga.bl'e Bay) and Maofarland (Press Asboei&tioh, Cable Bay): Apologies for unavoidable absence were read from the Postmaster-General (Sir Joseph Ward), the Secretary of the Department (Mr. D. Robertson), Siuperjntendemt of the Eastern Extension Cable Coy (Mr. Thompson), Mi,\ K. J. L. Wright, of the same and Mr. Kent (Telegraph Engineer). Mr. Menzies proposed the toast of the Post and Telegl-aph Department. (AptpiL'aiuse. )• Hfe said (that officers were loyal to the department a/nd the toast was alavays honoured iby them to the highest degree. He gave a, 'brief but interesting- review of the expansion of the work of the department during the past 28 years, and the gradual reduction of postage from 6d an ounce to the present. rate. The postal note, the parcel: post, and other reforms had' been instituted j arid the cost of telegrams had beert reduced to a word. For these reformist foh© public had to thank the Postmaster-General', on whom the officers of the deparlttmemt looked as one of thexnseiltves. (Applause.) 'Sir Joseph Ward hadi to be thanked' for reforms and 1 extensions of the services, arid' Mr. Gray and l . Mr. Roberston had also assisted in the same direction The officers themselves had benefitted 'by the classification list, and they' knew . where, they stood, and what they Jiad 'to do togain promotion. (Applause.) He mOved the toast of the Department, ooupledi with the name of Mr. Ward 1 , Chief Postmaster, who had gained the esteem of every officer" under him, from : tlie backblocks to the centre. (Loud applause.) Mr. Ward responded in a humorous and interesting speech. 'ln his reminiscences he remembered that in 1873 there was only one messenger in. Nelson, named Bai-raelongli, and now [there were tully a dozen. With regard' to'the PostmasterGeneral, he (Mr. Waaxli) 'Would tell an . anecdote that had not been in print. It was durintg the Franco-Prussian war. and the Press Association and Heuter's Agen-cy,-were in rivalry for t-he .news summary ' arriving "by the irregular steamers.' There used to be_ great races in ■whaleboats, and then a race ito the telegr'apli office to. send) the wires first. One day Sir Joseph Ward opened - the post office door and was run into by the racing l messengers, and 'he suffered qiuite "severely in conBequence. • There were only 150 officers in the department in. those days (1875). and he ldnew aill of them by name. There was no cable, • and imaiiy suctions noAv . very important" didi not exist ;' thai -was', only 40 years ago, yet there were more thousands in the department now than there were hundreds then. The expansion had been enormous, and auot so many years ago, that expansion was so great and sudden.' that 'it was" difficult to find' officers for the 'bacbblocks. As to -Nelson, in those days it was only a telegraph name—-yet the Melbourne steamers used to call there then. Ever since hie'-"had come here the increase in the departmental w'oi-lc had 'been most marked but the officers, .though .they felt the strain sometimes,; kept well .up, to their work. Nelson h«d been oaaight in the, tftte' of progress, and the expansion was® with increased staff aind a higher; status, all would be pleased!- to see that' day arrive. (Applause.)

'Mr. Carmine proposed the toast of the Post and Telegraph. (ASsociaitioii'. (Applause.) It was formid'in. 1890, after there had 'been considerable hostility to-, ward's it. There was inainy an uphilJ fight- in the early d-a.yis of the Association, and it was not till 'the conifei'ijruce in 1899. that tine members met the late Air. Seddon, whom they found a true Li'beral of the right, colour. He gave recognition to the association, arid'since 1899 it had

worked in harmony with the head office. The] Association had had to fight hard for all' it had obtained, tout since the recognition of the society it had secured many advantages for the officers/ iiiciud ing- a substantial' risa in -the salaries of

long service married officers: The Association was still l working- hard for certain*. rights; but ill d'ue itiime it would; make all right. Hence there should' he romp-tote unity and 1 every officer of the department as soon as he reached the proper footing should: .join the 'Association;.. (Applause.) Hs moved the "boast of the Association, coupled" with'the names

of. Mr. Miliroy, the presenit secretary, and; Mr. M'Grogor, the late secretary. (Loud aptplaxise and ''For' he's a jolly: good'.-fellow. 1 ") '

• Mr. Milroy, the present secretary to; the Association, responded:. Be gave a , shor.t history of the Association since its. foramaition, and named some of;-the pro-"' minenit early (members and promoters. Mr Milroy also recounted! some of the- reforms and benefits the Society 'had secured for the service as a, whole, and he traced' the career of the Society's organ, now the "Ivatiipo."?Tbe imtiinlberehLp, on: the of official! recoghitiori,' was lesis; than 1000. ibht'it advanced i'rapid'ly later: on" when-the Association had^'-gained con-; trol of, the "Kaitiigo," and trie two or-. :

ganlsatfons had (been airialgaanated. The; •memibership-t'cAday stOod'.'-at 2600, am ad-' varice -of -600 sin'ce the latsffc conference: "meeting in 1910. (Applause.) If there; were any present not members" of the Association.'th6y'\^houid'rj<wn at once, on: leamitug the good • had done for them.; ■ Mr-., 'M'Gregor (formerly secretary) a-Iso-

responded fenefly. . He said he hoped' thkt the Association would; agitate tiiil; "time off" had heen abolished and some other reforms' had ibeah achieved. (Aplause.) ' " _ . JVIr. Price (moved the toastf! of the. Eastem .'Extension,. Gable iGoy.coupled. with the names of 'Messrs Morliriig and, John-; sort. -Mr. Morling and Mr. Johnstone responded. Mr. Rudman proposed the toasit of the Press, and Messrs Bradd'ell ("lOodonist"), MJakiFarland (Gaible Bay), and Haraby

("Nelson Evening Mail") responded; Before closing* the /proceedings tha Chairman^ thanked' Mr. Alan Rout for presiding at the piano., the comtmaCtee of the 'branch fior organising and' working in connection with" the reunion, aaid citA--7.C3S for their sympathy laixdi support. A pleasant gathering 'broke iip lay 11 o'clock.

In the course of the evening a .programme of music and' recitations was interspersed among the speeches. Mr. Alan Rout (presided l at the- .pdano, Mr. Ward iplayed some selections on l the viola; songs were stmg by Messrs Whelan and Hairhy; and recitations were given ,f by OMr. Rudlman'. oatei ing was excellently done by Mr. Adimore.