NEW POSTAL GUILD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20629, 30 July 1930, Page 12

NEW POSTAL GUILD.

RIVAL MEETINGS HELD. AUCKLAND BRANCH FORMED. OPPOSITION TO MOVEMENT. An Auckland branch of the new Post and Telegraph Officers' Guild was formed last evening at a meeting in the Unity Hall, attended by 95 executive officers. At tlio same time a largo meeting in the Chamber of Commerce Ilall, convened by the Auckland section of the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association, passed a unanimous resolution disapproving of the guild movement and affirming continued loyalty to the present orgar.isation. At the guild meeting a number of those present stated that thuy held proxies for other officers who were unavoidably absent. All sections of the service were represented, especially the district postmasters. Mr. J. Madden presided in the preliminary stages, and outlined tho object of the meeting. Ho then vacated the chair in favour of Mr. S. C- Mahon. The main business of the meeting was consideration of a motion "That a branch of (he Post and Telegraph Officers' Guild bo formed in Auckland." Mr. 11. W. Parnell, a Dominion vice-president of the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association, spoke strongly against tho proposal, urging officers to oppose the movement. Various other speakers followed, and eventually the motion was carried by 78 votes to 13. Four officers did not vote.

The following officers were elected:Chairman, Mr. S. C. Mahon; vice-chair-man, Mr. A. M. Robertson; secretary and treasurer, Mr. 0. J. Aicken; committee, Messrs. Brough. Troup, O'Leary, Lambie, Fry. Curtis, Loftus, ''elicit, Jones, Puscue and Irvine. Tho committee is representative of all sections of the service. It was agreed that the committee should review the draft constitution expected to be received from Wellington shortly, and should then call a further meeting of members to consider tho draft and appoint a delegate to the forthcoming Dominion conference in Wellington. Tho meeting convened bv the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association practically filled the hall in which it was held. Mr. C. G. Fellows, vice-president of tho Auckland section, presided. Staffs from offices as distant as Pukekohc were represented.

After hearing addresses by Mr. IT. 11. Brown, Dominion orgsniser, and others, the meeting unanimously carried the following resolution:—"That this meeting of controlling and rank-and-file officers of the Auckland section of tho Tost and Telegraph Employees' Association views with regret the proposal to form a new guild, and is of the opinion that tho Post and Telegraph Employees' Association is quite capable, and has functioned in the past, in the best interests of all members of the post and telegraph service. Tho meeting also reaffirms its continued loyalty to the present organisation." REPORT OF COMMITTEE. WELLINGTON BRANCH FORMED. [DV TELEGRAPH.—PIIESS ASSOCIATION.] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A meeting of officers interested in the formation of a Post and Telegraph Guild was held last evening for the purpose of presenting the provisional committee's report and electing the branch officers for the year. Mr. J. M. McLean, chief postmaster, presided over a large attendance. The report of tho provisional committee states that the decision to form a guild was reached as the result of discussions with regard to the formation of a separate organisation from the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association. It was felt that the association was unable to devote sufficient attention to those matters specially affecting controlling officers, and confined most of its activities to the rank and filo divisions of the service. Urgent representations from other centres for the immediate formation of a Wellington branch, to give them a lead, had resulted in responso to a circular letter sent out by the provisional committee. The reports received from a large number of the officers showed that the guild would bo supported by a majority of those concerned, many of tho officers' meetings having unanimously favoured the new organisation, which is open to officers in receipt of salaries of £320 a year and over. Christchurch showed a membership of 76, Dunedin 75 (out of 85), Palmerston North 30, Blenheim 80 per cent., Thames all but one officer, Auckland nearly 100 per cent., and Greymouth all but one officer. .At Nelson, Napier, Timaru and Oamaru branches had been formed.

Tin; commiltoo regretted that it had not yet been possible to submit a draft constitution, but tho matter was under action, and as soon as branch committees were formed at all centres copies of the proposed rules would be forwarded to them. The chairman ruled that tho meeting was called for a specific purpose and those opposed to the guild, he said, would have full liberty to .speak. This was taken full advantage of by tho president and five officers of the Post and Telegraph Association. Un a show of hands tho motion to form a branch was carried by 72 voles to 29. The need for the new body was strossod by several speakers, who referred, among other things, to the Alliance, of Labour incident in 1922, and it was stated by one speaker that the birth of tho guild 'could be dated from that incident. A strong committee was elected from all branches of tho department in Wellington. OPINION AT NELSON. GUILD NOT WARRANTED. [BY TEI.EG ItAI'JI.—I'JtKSS ASSOCIATION'.] NELSON, Tuesday. At a largely-attended meeting of tho Nelson section of the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association the rwk and file employees present carried the following resolution:—" 1 hat this meeting considers tho formation of the proposed Post and Telegraph Officers' Guild unwarranted." However, there was no strong objection to the formation of tho guild and the opinion was expressed that no matter how many resolutions were passed by the branches of the association tho guild would still be formed. The meeting also carried the following resolution:—"That this section resents the tampering with the notes forwarded for publication in the Katipo of July 20 and asks to bo furnished with an explanation."