POST AND TELEGRAPH.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17763, 10 December 1929, Page 5

POST AND TELEGRAPH.

MEETING OF EMPLOYEES.

.ADDRESS BY MR. J. H. McKENZIE

ARBITRATION SYSTEM DESIRED.

(Bv Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Dec. 10.

Addressing a largely attended meeting of the P. and T. employees last aiight, Mr J. H. McKenzie, general secretary of the P. and T. Employees' .Association, said it was proposed to ask the Government to place the serMce under a system of arbitration in <>rder to remove it from the present -political control. In his opinion the -service would never get far under •political and partisan control. Questioned as to the Association's -compulsory retirement after 40 years' -service, Mr McKenzie was most emphatic on that point, and said he had -already protested to the PostmasterGeneral and the secretary of the Department in regard to the recent case -of an officer with over 40 years' service being retained. So far no satisfactory reasons for his retention had 'been presented. The case was causing much concern amongst senior ofand retired officers were also -wanting to know why they had been ■forced out of the service. A. revision "to the policy of recent years was -unanimously endorsed by- the meeting.

Mr McKenzie said the Association's •efforts were directed to obtain .improved salary conditions* for lower•paifl officers. It wag strenuously ■fighting for a minimum wage of approximately £4 weekly on attaining -ttie age o* 9.1 years. The institution •of a snecial Hass for certain qualirfied officers was undoubtedly a step -to alienate the support of thp Asso--ctation's demands for general reclas-. ■ssiflcation. •