LABOUR MATTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17954, 5 June 1920, Page 9

LABOUR MATTERS

E.F.C.A. DISPUTE.

BOARD'S PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION.

(Pee United Pbess Association.) , WELLINGTON, June 4. ine board of business men. set up to consider tho i/.ljjC.-A,. section of the r&ilwziy dispute held its first meeting- this afternoon and discussed preliminary matters. The board's members are Messrs W. J. Marchbanks and W. H_ Milward (nominated bv the Railway Department), and J. S. Dickson atlt \ , Martin (nominated by the E.F.C.A.). Mr Milward is chairman.

P. AND T. OFFICERS DISPUTE.

STATEMENT BY POSTMASTERGENERAL.

(Peii United Pkkss Association.)

AUCKLAND. June 4. Tho unrest in tho P. and T. Department was the subject of some remarks by the Postal a? ter-g6ncral. He said that tho official claims would be dealt with as soon as consideration of the railwaymen's case had been concluded. Referring more particularly to the demand by members of the P. and T. service who wgnt to tho 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 half pay to one section of the service and not to the other should not have been made. It had been done, and there vas an end of it. "So far as I am concerned," said Mr Cbates, " I wouid be pleased, if I could place ali tho men on an equal footing, but tho Government has considered tlie matter on 6everal occasions, and the' position is that wo cannot make the _ concession. Personally I would certainly like to see those men who fought m the ranks get half civil pay, because I thjnk thoy deserve it more than the men \yll9 weijt away with the Postal Oorps—that is, having regard to tho difference in their duties. I say this as a matter of principle, not that I agreo with the granting of civil pay in th' e first in