POSTAL EMPLOYEES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21252, 4 August 1932, Page 11

POSTAL EMPLOYEES

ASSOCIATION AND POLITICS STATEMENT BY MINISTER QUESTION OF UNDERTAKING [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday In a statement to-day the PostmasterGeneral, Hon. A. Hamilton, said a report published this morning in reference to the embargo on the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association did not state the position accurately. Mr. Hamilton said the president of the association gave a personal undertaking that no political activities would be permitted in future and asked that tho executive be allowed to meet in Wellington so that the whole matter could be considered. On receipt of that personal undertaking the Minister agreed to the executive meeting yesterday and added that if after the meeting the president was of opinion that any useful purpose would be served by a personal interview he would be prepared to see the executive, but that it must be clearly understood that if the president expressed a desire to wait upon the Minister it would be evidence that the association was prepared to meet the Government's wishes. Continuing, the Minister said the association decided that, although the staff of the association and the association's paper would not be permitted to urge political changes, and that its new rule regarding political propaganda would be inoperative until it could be deleted, it was not prepared to give an undertaking to refrain from political activities. The Minister's telegram in response to a request for an interview was: " When leave was granted to members of your executive to come to Wellington it was made clear that if. after the meeting here, they expressed a desire to interview me it would be an indication tha.t your executive was prepared to meet the wishes of the Government. As your executive has not given such an undertaking I cannot see that any good purpose would be served by compliance with the request in your telegram of this afternoon."