POST AND TELEGRAPH

Otago Witness, Issue 3312, 5 September 1917, Page 28

POST AND TELEGRAPH

IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS PASSED. WELLINGTON, August 29. The Post and Telegraph Conference today passed resolutions suggesting a scale of bonuses to moot special distress owing to the depreciated purchasing power of the sovereign; also suggesting the payment of the war bonus to temporary postmistresses devoting their full time to their duties. The conference decided to protest against a reduction of travelling allowances, also against the derjartmenrs action in demanding a refund 'of the 1916 war bonus from officers ivho afterwards left on active service. Among the resolutions passed was one protesting against whittling away the Public Service Apneal Board's powers to inquire into and settle the grievances of public servants. The conference also _ reaffirmed the wish to have a stipendiary magistrate appointed to the chairmanship of the Appeal Board. Other resolutions were that the camp allowance of married officers bo increased from 2s to 4s per day; that overtime scales bo reviewed with the view of making overtime rates at least equal to the salary rates of officers entitled to payments; that the hearing of all public service appeals should be open to the press; that any appellant •who so desires be represented by counsel before tho Appeal Board ; that the department be asked to keep faith with the association in regard to the employment of females on a permanent basis, and that no further permanent appointment bo made during the war. It deplored the department's altered decision in regard to the advertisement for "girls to learn telegraphy, employment temporary." If at the termination of the war the department found it •was short of telegraphists, the "girls could then be taken on permanently, and back service counted as from, tho date of temporary employment. It was decided that the conference urge that, in the event of the department requiring more telegraph cadettes, preference be given to girls already employed in other branches of the post and telegraph service; that the employment of lady officers on a permanent or temporary basis was unfair to the men in the trenches, unless the basis of cquai pay, equal work, was accepted and maintained by the commissioners and the department. August 30.

The Post find Telegraph Conference adopted the following resolutions :—" That this conference endorses the action of the executive in entering a vigorous protest against the treatment meted out to Mr Scott and the aspersions cast upon his truthfulness. This matter is looked upon as an unwarranted interference with the civil rights of officers, and we aek for a public judicial inquiry, preferably at Hamilton. In the event of such an inquiry being refused, the association will support Mr Scott in anv action against Captain Gilmer, and strongly resents any outside pressure being brought to bear upon tho_ department to secure the removal of one of its officials." " That representation be made to the Government with a view to increasing the allowance to widows and children under the Superannuation Act to £52 per annum for widows and 7e 6d per week for each child. If the present scale of contributions will not actuarially permit of increased allowances, legislative provision should be made to allow contributors to forgo part of their own pensions to add to the benefits of those dependent on them." " That the present system of examinations prevailing in- the department be revised, with a viewto- eliminating examinations which arc of no practical value, and substituting therefor examinations on departmental subjects, such examinations to carry with them the benefits and advantages now accruing to those pass risr matriculation and other examinations."