POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3726, 11 August 1925, Page 29

POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS.

CONFERENCE OF ASSOCIATION. ADDRESS BV POSTMASTERGENERAL. WELLINGTON., August 3. . i lie biennial conference of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association opened today, Mr C. E. Collins presiding. In a review of the < liief operations during the last two years, the secretary (Mr 11. E. Combs) pointed out that the organisation s efforts to have the standard romuneration restored to the basis of 1922 hud failed. Ono outstanding matter was revaluation of the work of officers, but only minor benefits were obtained. The grades above the rank and file were much more generously treated, and from this angle only the reclassification of 1924 was satisfactory; in all other respects it was a bitter disappointment. There was no doubt that the spending power of salaries in the service was far short of the 1914 standard. One of the most unfortunate of the classification policy changes was the decision of the department to limit the salary prospects of women officers. Regarding compulsory retirement, the department had made splendid advances towards the goal, for outside three notable exceptions, all the 40-years‘ service men had now been retired. The consequence had been a distinct improvement in promotion prospects. There bad been a gain of 150 members during the

Reference was made to the embargo placed by the Government, against affiliation with the Alliance of Labour. As matters now stand the association has authority to affiliate so soon as the Governembargo is lifted, and as there is a verv important individual and constitutional right involved it is important that no member shall so much as consider receding from the stand taken in 1922 until tlie right is conceded in its entity. Mr A. T. Markham, secretary of the Post, and Telegraph Department, in the course of an address to the conference said ho would venture to express the opinion that during the present financial year the revenue obtained from postages under the penny post system would be equal to tho amount for the full year at three halfpence. That was an indication of increased business. If they all did their bit he could see that there would be a net profit atfer paying interest on capital cost, and then it would be his duty to do his best to see that the conditions of the staff were improved; and when lie said conditions he thought they' would agree that their conditions were very good. As to the salary question, which the officers naturally felt most of all, that was a matter for the Government to consider in conjunction with the pay of other departments of the State, and also with wages paid outside. He hoped there would be a ray of light soon, and that there would be an opportunity of making some improvement in that direction.

Sir James Parr, who was Postmastergeneral, delivered an address to-day to the delegates. He said that he expected candour, openness, and plain dealing from the organisation. In that event, it could always rely upon receiving open-mindedness and candour from him. The association would have from him a plain “Yes” or “No” in answer to any request made. After six years’ experience as-a Minister of the Crown, he had come to the conclusion that it was absolutely necessary there should be a strong organisation representing the views of members of the service, with which the Minister should deal. Such a body was necessary for another purpose—namely, to help the Minister and the department. He confessed that lie was rather suiprised to notice the youthful appearance of ihe members of the conference. “Have you no middle-aged or elderly delegates?” asked the Minister, amidst laughter. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Association: They are all getting such early promotion ! —(Laughter.) Sir James Parr emphasised the great, importance of the Post and Telegraph service, and noticed with approval that the association favoured promotion by merit Of course, all things being equal, the senior man should have promotion. He was very strongly of the opinion that merit, after all, should be the main factor in making appointments and promotions. ALLIANCE OF LABOUR. August 4. At tho Post and Telegraph Officers’ conference to-day the following resolution was carried : “That this conference recommends that so soon as the Government withdraws the embargo on affiliation with tho Alliance of Labour the attitude of members of the association thereto bo ascertained by a further postal ballot on the question: further, the conference reaffirtns its belief that the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association has always possessed a constitutional right to organise along such lawful linos as it thinks fit, and again oxpreses* tho belief that tho embargo placed by the Government on the association’* intention to affiliate with tho Alliance of Labour was unconstitutionally imposed.” August 5. In a statement to-day the secretary of the Post and Telegraph Association stated that it appeared to the delegates of tho conference that the press had misunderstood the resolution which the conference passed yesterday on the subject of tho Alliance of Labour. The delegates had taken up as their paramount duty the task of protecting the rights of members as citizens of New Zealand. The delegates knew that the members of the association would be obedient to the exercise of all constitutional authority, but where an embargo was imposed against doing what was absolutely a lawful thing (as waa done by the Government in the matter of the P. and T. Association’s affiliation with the Alliance of Labour), and that embargo was autocratic and not constitutional, the delegates as guardians of the rights of membership considered it their bounden duty to protest. When this unlawful embargo against affiliation had been withdrawn the delegates had decided to resubmit the question of affiliation to a second postal ballot. There was, therefore, absolutely no justification for the alarmist editorials which had so far appeared.