REGRADING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20932, 11 January 1938, Page 5

REGRADING

POSTAL SERVICE MANY OFFICERS GAIN PROMOTION By Telegraph —Press Association AUCKLAND. January 10. Eagerly awaited by Post Office officials all over the Dominion, a long list of promotions under the regrading scheme was received in Auckland from the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr G. McNamara. The promotions affect more than 2000 officers throughout New Zealand, and while many are delighted with their rises there are naturally some who are disappointed. Officers affected by the regrading will receive benefits ranging from £2O to £5O per annum, and in many cases the increases in salary will be made retrospective to April 1, 1937. Some officers who did not qualify until later in the year also have benefited, and it is hoped the arrears of pay will be distributed within the next week or two. The first regrading since the depression period, the adjustments are i most pronounced in the case of the lower paid officers. It affects chiefly what might be termed executive officers in all divisions and provides semi-executive posts for a large number of men who have hitherto been graded with the rank and file. The regrading was carried out as a result of the investigations of inspectors representing the clerical and engineering divisions, money order department and mail rooms. All men in the respective divisions who were qualified for promotion were given the opportunity to place their cases before the inspectors. The regrading will involve a number of transfers. These will not affect the executive heads at Auckland, Mr W. G. Cooper, chief postmaster, or his deputy. Mr H. M. Patrick. When the question of a similar regrading of the staff of the Railways Department was referred to the general manager, Mr G. 11. Mackley, he said the Railways Regrading Commission had completed its investigations and would immediately proceed to prepare its report. For him it had been a long job occupying approximately 11 months, said Mr Mackley. The investigation had covered the whole of the railways system. Every office and every station had been visited by the Commission, and every individual member of the staff had had the opportunity of presenting his case. Mr Mackley said he was unable to state precisely when the results of the regrading would be announced.