POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23796, 1 May 1939, Page 2

POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS

GUILD CONFERENCE WELFARE OF DEPARTMENT A conference of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Guild was held in Wellington last week, the sittings extending from Tuesday and ending on Saturday. The guild represents the senior and controlling officers of the department. and the conference of delegates was the ninth that has been held in Wellington. In the absence of the Postmastergeneral. who was unavoidably detained, the conference was opened by Mr J. G. Young, Acting Director-gene-ral, after he had addressed the delegates and a large gathering of executive officers.

The activities of the department’s staff are so varied and as a number of large undertakings are combined in the department under one administration. the problems of management commonly met with by Post and Telegraph executives are probably not experienced in any other institution in the Dominion, either public or commercial. The guild was formed in 1930 to preserve the interests of the executive officers, to assist in the m intenance of efficient management in the department, and also, if possible, to effect improvements in managerial methods and introduce higher standards of performance. The main questions considered at the conference were the salaries and general economic welfare of senior officers together with suggestions for effecting improvements in the administrative and executive control of the department, the effective training of junior officers, the operations of the Post and Telegraph Appeal Board, and numerous other questions of interest and concern.

The conference was presided over by Mr H. A. Colvin. Nelson. The National Executive was represented by Messrs P. F. Coira and V. B. Cade, Wellington and S. A. Burnett, vice-president. Auckland. The other delegates were:— Messrs A. V. Harris (Auckland), W. A B. Mack (Hamilton). L. C. Simpson (Gisborne), J. V. Dowling (Napier), W. K, Coleman (Palmerston North), J. Stephen (New Plymouth), F. Mairs (Wanganui). L. H. Steel (Wellington), H. L. Young (Blenheim), J. Roche (Nelson) A. Walton (Greymouth) J T. Jack (Christchurch), R. A. Heron (Timaru, vice-nresident), T. Francis (Dunedin) and J. M. McKay (Invercargill). The conference was one of the most successful that has been held by the guild, and delegates hope that the discussions will lead to improved conditions and incentives for the staff as a whole, and towards greater contentment in all ranks.

Before the delegates tfcturned to their home stations, a new national executive was elected as follows: —President Mr H. A. Colvin (Nelson re-elected): vicepresidents—Messrs S. A, Bennett (Auckland, re-elected), and L, H, Steel (Wellington'; general secretary and editor. Mr V. B. Cade (Wellington, re-elected); assistant secretary and treasurer. Mr J. I. M, Hill (Wellington): hon. auditor, Mr P. F. Stevens (Wellington: together with a Management Committee. ?11 resident in Wellington and representing the districts noted;— Messrs F. N. Cook, Auckland: J D Magee, Hamilton; J. C. Greig, Gisborne; R, O. Boyens, Napier; O. T Mullins, Palmerston North: G. L. Agar, New Plymouth: C. H. Collingwood Wanganui: E. C. Hardie. Wellington; A. L. Bell. Blenheim; A. E. Fredric. Nelson; J. T. Rutherford. Greymouth; T L. Darby. Christchurch; P. F. Coira, Timaru; M. A. Pike. Dunedin, and H, W. Curtis. Invercargill.