CONTENTION OVER-RULED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25384, 16 November 1943, Page 6

CONTENTION OVER-RULED

(P.A.) AUCKLAND. Nov. 15. “ The police authorities can do as they wish with policemen who desire to work in their spare time, but they do not control a constable’s wife who is in an essential industry,” said the chairman of the Auckland Man-power (Industrial) Committee, Mr J. O. Liddell, to-day. ‘‘l have commented on this' previously, and if there is any obstruction of this kind the matter should be brought before the manpower officer.” Mr Liddell’s remarks were made during *a case in which Miss L. D. Connell (Mr Tong) sought her release from the Post and Telegraph Department. , , The staff superintendent at the Chief Post Office, Mr S. Smith, said it had been intended to replace Miss Connell with another female employee who had been transferred from the Russell office. This girl, however, had married an Auckland constable, who had advised the Post Office that his wife could not continue her duties, as the regulations prevented a policeman's wife from working. “ I rang the superintendent of police and he said that this was so,” said Mr Smith. “His information was that a policeman’s wife could not work Without special permission from the Commissioner of Police. The girl has not been released by .the Post and Telegraph Department or by the manpower officer, but she has not come back to work. She says that the police regulations —” , ... “Those regulations have nothmg to do with it,” said Mr Liddell. “ The excuse that the police regulations will not allow her to work has no bearing on the matter. All women between 18 years and 30 years, including those who are married and without children, come within the scope of the man-powpr emergency regulations and can be directed to industry.” The'appeal was allowed on condition that Miss Connell remained in her present position for not longer than a month.