P. AND T. UNIFORMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1939, Page 10

P. AND T. UNIFORMS

INACCURATE STATEMENTS. explanation by minister. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WANGANUI, October 25. His attention had been drawn to a newspaper report from Auckland to the effect that no further article's of uniform clothing were to be supplied to officers of the Post and Telegraph Department till the end of the war, and that till then officers were expected to provide their own clothing, said the Postmaster-General, Mr Jones, today. That statement contained so many inaccuracies that he wished to take the earliest possible opportunity of stating the true position. The uniform requirements of the defence services had delayed, first, the making of supplies of New Zealand cloth for postal garments, and, secondly, the manufacture of cloth into uniforms by the contractor, said Mr Jones. The contractor was already fulfilling a proportion of outstanding orders, however, and every effort was being made to overtake arrears. In an emergency the department informed its officers that it would be necessary to revert to ordinary attire if before a uniform could be replaced it became too shabby for wear, but the department also asked for applications of cases in which controlling officers considered hardship was caused by the need for an officer to provide his own clothing. It was yet too soon to judge how long it would take the contractor to overtake the arrears. Cases of hardship would be given special consideration when the position was better known. The Minister said the difficulty of adhering closely to the regular issue of uniforms for Post and Telegraph Department employees was caused by war requirements. This had been explained to officers, and he had no doubt that the great majority, if not all, of those concerned would be satisfied that the department was doing its best to remedy the position.