P. AND T. EMPLOYEES

Southland Times, Issue 21192, 19 September 1930, Page 5

P. AND T. EMPLOYEES

ADDRESS TO ASSOCIATION MEMBERS. FORMATION OF GUILD CRITICIZED. ) That the formation of a guild exclusively for controlling . officers in the Post and Telegraph service was derogatory to the interests of the welbestablished Post and Telegraph Employees’ ’Association, 'was the view expressed by Mr J, H. McKenzie, general secretary of the association, in an address to members of the Southland branch of the association at their annual reunion Mr McKenzie strongly criticized the new movement and claimed that its objects and aims covered nothing new that could not be handled Joy the association. In opening his address, Mr McKenzie said he was impressed by. the fine spirit of co-operation and mutual respect that was in evidence between all officers he had met in the Southland district, and to him it was apparent that the Chief Postmaster and. his executive must be possessed of a keen sense of how to co-ordinate the staffs and attain the highest efficiency by team work and considerate treatment. Coming into the district from the distant northern end and visiting sub-offices first, the absence of complaints and the general atmosphere of confidence were features that had struck him most forcibly, and it was a pleasure and honour for him to represent his executive at the district headquarters of the association, where the membership appeared to be so largely’ composed of senior, officers who were taking a constructive interest in the affairs of their organization. Proposed Guild. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of all other centres and one of the recent effects had been seen in the attempt that was being made to split the unity of their association by the formation of a guild exclusively for controlling officers, said Mr McKenzie. No one seemed to know the origin of this movement, who were the prime movers in it, or what was hoped to be achieved by it that could not be done through the present association. It was a very vague proposition altogether, and senior officers were being asked to ac cept it on trust in this form simply because it was being organized by the more senior officers of certain centres—notably Wellington. ■ But it. was to the credit of Southland officers that they had done their own thinking in regard to this matter, said Mr McKenzie, and the guild had received no support. Outside Southland it had been said that the Chief Postmaster and his chief officials had influenced this decision, but the speaker's inquiries showed that sub-oftices had received notice of the movement and had decided their attitude towards it before hearing from the chief office. The value of the decision given was enhanced by the independent nature of its consideration; and for the further reason that Southland members had so clearly pointed to correct constitutional procedure in such matters. Mr McKenzie said he desired to convey the thanks and appreciation of his executive to them for their action. Nothing New. Turning to the objects to be achieved by’ such a movement, Mr McKenzie said there was nothing new’, in fact nothing of a tangible nature submitted at all, that would prove attractive to the prospective guild membership. Here and there vague suggestions were forthcoming, but there was no authoritative statement that could be attributed to definite organizers who were imbued with a constructive desire to promote the welfare of their fellow senior officers, and it was significant than even the draft of the proposed constitution had been lifted holus bolus out of the constitution of the present association, ■ That showed that there was nothing to be achieved by a" separate organization, and it was apparent that the same energy and interest, devoted to the work of the assoelation, would do far more for the general cause of officers of the department. Support From Senior Officers.

The association had all the machinery and large funds ready to function with, and it had been clearly shown in his (Mr McKenzie’s) tour through both Islands that a big majority of senior'men realized this, and there was a consensus of opinion for remaining in the association, while that opinion was also taking shape for a reorganization that would provide special representation of controlling officers as a class. However, that meant active participation and sustained interest by such officers, something which had been rather lacking of recent years, and if that were forthcoming he thought that the eventual outcome of this guild movement would have a consolidating and good organization effect on their association. Guild Organizers Attacked. What was wanted was tolerance and cooperation) urged' Mr McKenzie, instead of intolerance and disintegrating motives which appeared to be actuating certain originators of the guild movement. There were early indications of such motives, which had been largely counteracted as prospective members commenced to think the movement out for themselves, but just recently again the originators in Wellington, apparently conscious of the growing desire to maintain unity, had made an application to the Postmaster-General for recognition of the guild as a separate entity. “Just fancy,” said Mr McKenzie, “before the proposed constitution had been generally considered, much less endorsed, and before a mandate had been given from a representative conference to form a guild, a little coterie in Wellington went to the Minister with a matter that had not yet emerged from the realms of the domestic business of the association itself.” Practically all of the prospective membership of the guild was at .present in the membership of the association, he continued, and it was more than passing strange to reflect that unconstitutional action by a small minority was centred amongst those whose departmental duties called for the observance, and the exacting in it of others, of constitutioial procedure and adherence to rules in their everyday work. Attack on Association Resented. Concluding his reference to this subject, Mr McKenzie said there was only one aspect of it that caused him any resentment, and that was in the slight and damaging attack, which the movement had constituted, on the executive committee of the association. The nine officers forming that executive were all controlling officers of the department, men who were giving unsparingly of their time, energy and ability in an honorary capacity for the general cause of their fellow officers, and how could it be said that they, controlling officers themselves, had failed to serve the controlling officer section of the membership? If there had been shortcomings, they had been entirely due to individual or sectional neglect by members themselves. Mr McKenzie again thanked the Southland members for their clear perspective of the whole situation, and their solid support df their elected executive, whom he had the honour of representing that night. Mr McKenzie then proceeded to detail many of the activities of the association, including action taken in the cases of individual members, which showed that controlling officers had recourse to the association for righting wrongs, just as much as rank and file members had, and, although many of these matters were never published, because of their individual nature, Mr McKenzie asked his audience to appreciate that their association officials, both honorary and paid, were endeavouring to carry on the work in the best interests of the members as a whole. A hearty vote of thanks followed the very attentive hearing accorded Mr McKenzie’s address.