CIVIL SERVANTS

Southland Times, Issue 20939, 23 November 1929, Page 8

CIVIL SERVANTS

SALARY CUTS

“ONLY TWO COURSES - OPEN” MR H. E.’ HOLLAND’S VIEWS (Per United Press Association.) Westport, November 22. In the Town Hall, this evening, Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P., Leader of the Labour 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 the reductions, and the steps taken by the Labour Party to have them restored, stating that all efforts were consistently opposed by the Reform Party, while the Liberals vacillated. Concluding, Mr. Holland added: “The stage has now been reached where the next effective move is with the public servants themselves. In past years, very many of them have given continuous support to the Reform Party. In 1925 indeed, there was almost a stampede of the majority into the Reform camp. In 1928, the drift was into the camp of the United Party. In both cases, public servants so voting were considerably dissillusioned. It is true many of the public servants have given devoted service to the Labour movement, and consistent support to the Labour Party at the -polls, but in some branches of the service, these have not by any means constituted the majority. However, the question now is, what are the public servants as a whole going to do about the future ? Motions expressing indignation with those members of the House who, on November 4 voted against the public ’ servants, are fully justified, but something more than resolutions are necessary. There is the choice of only two courses open to 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 a method of strike. I have no hesitation in saying the public servants have everything to gain by constitutional method, and since this is so, and since a host of them now look to' the Labour Party for justice for them, and reasonably urge they follow the example set by the operating staff of the telegraphic office at Auckland and join with the rest of the workers in placing the moral and financial support of their organizations behind the Labour Party, both in the Hutt contest next month and in the next general election, which may be nearer than many people suppose.” At the conclusion of the address, a resolution was unanimously carried: That this meeting of public servants of the Buller district, congratulates the Labour Party on its consistent fight for salary improvements of the citizens of the state, and unreservedly endorses its action in this direction in the session just ended.