SCENE AT P AND T SOCIAL

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 84, 25 June 1930, Page 3

SCENE AT P AND T SOCIAL

"TIRADE AGAINST GOVERNMENT". EDUCATION MINUTER LEFT ROOM. NELSON, June 23. Something in the nature of a mild sensation was caused at the annual reunion of the Post:, and Telegraph

Association on Saturday evening when the Hon. If. Atmore, who was present by invitation, took exception to some remarks of Mr. J. H. McKenzie, the Dominion, secretary of the association and left before the proceedings had finished. It was stated at the outset that speeches would he limited to five course of his remarks, said that when

the report on education was present, od every mother and father would bo pleased because the, new system" of education would seek to discover the aptitudes of their boys unci girls. and would not attempt to train them by a uniform system. Leadership could come out or. snail I countries, lie said, if the opportunity were given to develop their God-given abilities. A DISCORDANT NOTE. Mr. McKenzie, replying on behalf of the executive,spoke at considerable length. lie said lie was sorry to strike a discordant note, but lie wanted them to know the I'aets. The matter of remuneration of Public .servants was not a' party matter, ami he v.'as sorry to say it was made a party matter. Concerning penny postage, he

sail, it had been a'ecciuplished at I he expense of the department. New Zealand was the only country that bad gone back to the universal penny postage, lie thought thai some the profits earned by the Post and Telegraph Department should revert to tho»so officers earning it. Whichever Government was out of power made promise*. The .Relorm Government bad done nothing for them when in power, and now promised to deil with their complaints. Hie present Government bad made similar promises, but when it had got ; into power it had forgotten them. "TIRADE AGAINST GOVERNMENT". Mr. Atmoro then rose from his seat and explained that ho must leave, having some distance to go. He woidd like to sav, however, that

Ministers of the Crown were plated in an extremely difficult position when invited to a social function at which speeches were supposed to I'e limited to five minuuw. They had had m listen to a three-quarters of an hour tirade against the Govern. incut, lie considered it extremely discourteous to the guests, and it was ;,' unique experience for him. l'lio Minister then leu.