OFFICIALS' FEAR

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1949, Page 7

OFFICIALS' FEAR

Press A&sociatlon)

Victimisation Denied By Associated Banks

(Per

WELLINGTON, Feb. 38. Stateinents that bank ofiicers were afraid of victimisatibn tlyougli 'giving evidence in the Court of Arbitratioii iu support of the New Zealand bank ojrticials' ciffim fpr t'heir*'flrst' ihvard, were 'denied. when* the' hearmg was t'esumqd. .* My. , W. J.'AMoujit;joy, for the Associatjed -Fapk,s, ,'said the banks were disturbed oyer the qllegations and'gavc an, assurance that(no qhieer would be adversely affeeted by giving evidence. The union advocate, Mi' C. A. It. Brunt, reaftirnied the union attitude over the lnatter but later calied oiiicer.to give evidence.

As soon as the court resumed this ' afternoon a'fter being adjourned frout Thursday, Mr. iMouutjov sought froai Mr. Justice Tyudall permission to reply to Mr. Brunt 's statenients made the previous day. After stating that thi Associated Banks were disturbed to learn of the suggested victinusatiou, AXr. Mouutjoy said: ''I have been authorised by Associated Banks to say they have no objeetion to anv oiiicei being called, if required, to give evidence in the Court of Arbitratioii. They give an unqualilied assurance that the giving of sucli evidence vvouhl not adversely all'ect an oflicer in anv way. They , felt," Mr. • Mountj.oy . added, "that they wi.sjied to, niake it known that the suggest jon . of vietnuisatiuu was a 'vory wroiig and iniproper oue which should be remoyed. " Mr. Brunt,, in reply, said tlie mattc' i had been earnestly considered li.v the union wliich luid prepared a caretul statemout on the fear compJex and vie liini.sation. The statenient quoted parl of a written statenient to the Couciln tion Counei 1. This said there had been inany instanees of.otticers feeling thev had been badly reported on by suponur uilieers but there liad been no avenue to tiieui by whirli they could prove ct dispiove that impression. The otlice's liad- l'requently ((uestioned reasons advanced against tlieir application for an !,|ipeal board to deal witli sucli important aspects of stalf relatiousmpn. .lide press publieity was gi^en :mr statenient in Conciliation Counei i." Mr. Brunt read froin the prinyipal statenient: ."As, was advised yesterday in our subniissions these stateinents have received the full approval of inembers "at "meetings of the ghiid aiid' the

union since. To our knowledge not oue nieinber has iudicated that he'does not ag'ree with our eontentiou that to soiin; degree this complex exists in all bauiiing services. " Until now the banks had never attempted to deny the stateinents on. the subject, Mr. Brunt went on. The union believed all stateihentsinade on the subject to be true. . Tlis Ilonour asked whether the union had decided to call evidence, Mr. Bruut intiniating tliat it did, and he hnlisell' would be the first witness. After a preluniitary exainination Mr. Brunt agrecd to Withdraw. Ilis H.on- | our drew attention to the faet- that tio evidence he must'give must apply to his own persoual' cxperieuce ■ in banks and tiiiit he could not generalise. Bauk oiiieers were still giviug evidence when the diearing adjoqrned ti 11 |-Monday.. *. '