POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18515, 28 March 1922, Page 3

POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS.

THE FORTHCOMING BALLOT. POSTMASTER-GENERAL'S VIEWS. A VERY SERIOUS MISTAKE. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 27. Important comment on the question of the ballot to he taken by Post and Telegraph •■•dicers regarding joining up with the Federation of Labour was made to-day by the Postmaster-General (the Hon. J. G. Coates) Mr Coates said: ‘T am rather loath to make any reference to the matter, as it is a question which the ofliccrs, or a certain section of the officers, have taken up themselves, but I think it might bo advantageous for me to give my views. "There is no doubt in my mind that the desire for such a ballot is not by any means unanimous. Indeed, I feet certain that if every officer who is entitled to vote exercises his or her right, the result "ill be entirely opposed to any affiliation with the Federation of Labour. It is therefore incumbent on every officer to see that his vote goes in. What would bo the position if the ballot was in favour of the ‘one big unionlt would mean that the activities of a large public service such as the Post and Telegraph Department might be to some extent interfered with by the officials of a Labour organisation. In the event of trouble arising from the movement that is taking place, I feel quite confident that there is a sufficient number of thoroughly loyal officers to enable us to cany on the service. The proposal of the Post and Telegraph officers to loin up ■with the ‘one big union’ is one that the people of the country will never agree to, and I believe it to be a very serious mistake from the Post and Telegraph point of view. That is not the serious aspect of the question. We all know that the officers are pledged to secrecy, and I am pleased to say that up to the present the service ran be relied upon to maintain that oath, but what if the Officers' Association was part and parcel of the ‘one big union?' Could the Government and the administration rely upon each officer in the event of any extreme action on the part of the Federation of Labour? The question is sufficient in itself to suggest that for the pood of the country as a whole the joining with the ‘>ne big union’ is entirely wrong. If the good work of the association'? executive for years past is now to be shattered by the present-day proposals urging affiliation with a body, the condition? and ideals of which are in no way similar to those of Post and Telegraph officers, tho position will naturally have to be reconsidered by all concerned. ‘T should, perhaps, remark here for public information,’’ concluded the Minister, "that, included in the list of officers entitled to vote there are approximately FOO message boys and message girls, varying in age from 14 to 16 years, and many junior officers, varying in age from 16 to 21 years, who, I might he permitted to •ay, arc not, in a position to judge for themselves the correct way to record their vote, and therefore should not be permitted to record it, I would just like to say that it is _ most unfortunate that the question of taking a vote has been decided upon, and as I believe that the voting will take place within the next few days, I trust every officer entitled to vote will do sol”