P. AND T. OFFICERS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16857, 10 June 1920, Page 7

P. AND T. OFFICERS.

CONFERENCE AT -WELLINGTON. (press associatioh teleobam.) WELLINGTON, June 9. A conference of 30 representatives of branches of the Post and Telegraph Officers Association was opened thifl uncter the presidency of Mr J. N. MacKenzie paper includes a discussion on matters recently placed before tile Prime Minister by a Post and Telegraph deputation, to which no reply y«t been received, namely:-a) The demand for an inorease in tho basic wop, to brxn? it up to spending value of 1914, and (2) the outstanding war bonus promisd by the Ht. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward. The annual report ehowa that the membership totals 6750. The balanoe-«ke<.;t shows receipts totalling £4315, and expenditure £2871. . - , Discussing the cost of lmng,. the report statca that the continual rise m the cost of living has been a regrettable feature of the year. Profits are still being piled on profits, with no, check or hindrance worthy of the name, eo far as tho comramer is concerned. • In common with tti; fixed salaried people, the decreased use Of the pound sterling liifc members Imrd, and # JUOTfi than once, stirred them to a high pitch o. resentment The announcement of the "cost of living" bonus did not easo the tension, because, almost coupled with it oama an announcement that t'he. cost of living m 12 months had risen from 27 per cent, to 63 per cent. To ask married men to accept Is and single officers 6d per day, as adequately bridging ' tho gap, was ridiculous, but when one takes into account tho general belief that, if. the Board of Trade had announced an increase of 100 per cent., it wcmld have been nearer the mark, on© can only wonder the patience and forbearance shown. Discussing constitutional versus unconstitutional means of remedying grievances, the Teport states that faith in constitutional means has been badly shaken. "Ono has only to. remember tho history of industrial agitation recently to understand why the unconstitutional .(so-called) peoplo have almost invariably attained their object m a 6hort space of timo, while constitutional people havo had to wait long and patiently for results." The position ought to be reversed, and, therefore, members are asked to consider whether the timo has wot axrived when tho Government should oe faced with tho logic of the position, and .wked in pointed terms: "What is going to bo done about it?" . The delegates were engaged on detail business in connexion with their organisation during the whole' of to-day. The formal opening of the proceedings will be the first business to-morrow morning, the lata arrival of southern delegates, through delay to the ferry steamer, making this arrangement desirable. The order paper is a. long one, but the principal business of a pTo rata, inorease in tho basic salary to bring it up to spending value of 1914 will toko precedence. So far no definite reply has bson received from the Prim® Minister to the rcprcsentatiorite made to him on May 4th la3t. In a letter dated Juno 7th Mr Massey states that the Government has no desire to delay action on the important matters brought forward at tho May interview, but h? hopes the Association will understand it is not pos--61 bio to deal finally with the requests until ! tho matters in dispute with th© railway employees are disposed of. This letter haa not yet come up for discussion, but con aiderablo uneasiness has been expressed, as the P. and T. Association haa had no opportunity cf being beard, and it is thought the _ pos- ! sible settlements arrived at by tho railway tribunals will definitely affect tho questions raised by the P. and T. Association, excluding, of course, the outstanding position oi the war bonus promised to tho Post and Telegraph Service by Sir Joseph Ward whir he was Minister of Fin an co in the Nation^-