CIVIL SERVICE VOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17116, 23 November 1929, Page 7

CIVIL SERVICE VOTES

LABOR PARTY APPEAL PROMISE OF MORE PAY (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. In the Town Hall last evening Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P., leader of the Labor Party in Parliament, delivered an address on the 'Civil Service cuts before a large gathering, in which civil servants predominated. The speaker traced the history of (he reductions and the steps taken by the Labor Party to have them restored, stating that all efforts had been consistently opposed by the Reform Party, while the Liberals vacillated.

In concluding, Mr. Holland added: “The stage lias now been reached where the next effective move is with the public servants Miomselves. In past years very many of them have given continuous support to the Reform Party. In 1925, indeed, there was almost a stampede of a majority into the Reform camp. In 1928 the drift >vas into the camp of the United Party. In both cases, public servants so voting were considerably disillusioned. If is true that many of the public servants have given devoted service to the Labor movement, and consistent support to the Labor Party at the polls, hut in some branches of the service these have not by any means constituted a majority. However, the question now is: What are the public servants as a whole going to do about the future? “The motions expressing indignation with those members of the House who on November 4 voted against the public servants arc fully justified, but something more than resolutions is necessary. 'There is a choice of only two courses open to the public servants. They are not likely to quietly sit down and, like a collection of Micawbers, wait for something to turn up, and so they have to choose between constitutional action —which is political action —-and Die method of the strike. ! have no hesitation in saying that the public servants have everything to gain by the constitutional method, and since this is so, and since a host of them now look to the Labor Party for justice for them, it is reasonable to urge that they follow the example set by the operating staff of the telegraph office at. Auckland, and join with the vest, of the workers in placing the moral and financial support of their organisations behind the Labor Party, both in the Hutt contest next month, and in the next General Election, which may lie nearer than many people suppose.”

At the conclusion of the address a resolution was unanimously carried: “That this meeting of public, servants of the Butler district congratulates the Labor Party on its consistent tight, for salary improvements of citizens of the .State, and unreservedly endorses its action in this direction in the session just ended.”

A NAPIER RESOLUTION (Per Press Association.) NAPIER, this day. At an extraordinary meeting of the Napier section of the 1\ and T. Officers’ Association, the following resolution was carried : “That this meeting, after hearing Mr. W. E. Barnard’s explanation, is satisfied that the action of the Labor Party during the discussion of the Public Service salary schedules, was best in the interests of the service and country as a whole.’’