"P. & T." OFFICERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 869, 16 July 1910, Page 6

"P. & T." OFFICERS.

■ —-__$_ —; . ■ &'PLEASANT EETJNION. »■."'■ ■ ' ' A very enjoyable was the r complimentary smoke concert which was tendered last night to the visiting delegates- to the Post and Telegraph Officers' Conference,, which has been sit. tmg in Wellington. Mr. S. Ciarkson, chairman of the Wellington branch .of the Post and Telegraph Association, presided, and there was a very large attendance/Among those present were: Mr. D. Robertson (Secretary of the De- . partment), Mr. J. A. Huiton (the retiring Chief Postmaster), Mr. J. K. Logan (Superintendent of Electritf Lines), R. B. Morris (Assistants©. 'n r s'„ 1? ;T V - Wat6rs ( Chkf Cferi;) G. ' B. Dall (Inspector of Post Offices), and H -,, A * gnggins (Assistant Accountant). '*■ I'■fie™' 1: Hu Sgins-proposed, lie toast of "The Department." Referring to the--question of superannuation, Mr. Muggins, speaking as a member of the buperammation Board, said that certain representations had been made on the subject of additional benefits, it had been ascertained that of the 8000' officers at- present on the fund, only .920 were affected in this connectioiu Ine amount-involved was'only £524' . spread over a period of twenty years— •™ nf 7 m U - & T- H t<] :tHe curtailment of their leave, which had been a matter of some concern to the association, he wished 'to say that the executive officers of the Department were not responsible for that. Thev had simply given effect-to' an instruction from the General Government, in view of the fact, however, that the officers of the Postal Department did not share with the other branches of the service, the relaxations of odd boli- ' days throughout the year', he thought that on question the-association Was entitled to be heard. . Replying to the.toast, Mr. D. Eobertson complimented the association on the tacctul- and business-like methods which characterised the conduct of its afiaira. The question of evolving a fair and equitable system of promotion was engaging' the' earnest attention of the' Department. In the telegraph business, . the Morse work was more or less stationary, bat: an enormous inorease had taken place in the business of telephone telegraphy. , That being so a reasonable proportion of omcers 'for promotion should be drawn from that branch of the Department, which was, in' a manner of speaking, threatened with stagnation.' As soon as the Public Works Department had completed' certain contracts at present under way and pending, there would 'be twenty postmasterships to fill,and_ the general prospects of pro-motion-rendered-considerably brighter. Many . officers who had V passed v the technical examinations, and were now occupying positions as check clerks, . would have to' be considered. The work of the Department was expanding in" all directions, and it was the earnest desire of tho responsible officers to discover a regular line of promotion for all ranks. ■ Referring to the telegraph messengers' branch, Mr. Eobertson said that it would bo a matter for consideration whether tho oongostion in that department might be relieved by giving the senior lads a little operat-' ing to do in their,spare time. Other toasts werej "The Association'.' (proposed by Mr. J. Alexander,'and responded to by Messrs. A. Mill and H. D. Edwards); "The Delegates" (proposed by Mr. R. Cameron ,and responded to bv Messrs. J. Mulvey and Coad); "The Appeal Board" (proposed by Mr. T. V. Waters, and responded to by Messrs. J. K. Logan and J. H. Ste- ■ vens); and "The Press" and "The Ladies." • v ■ During the evening musical and' other items were contributed by Messrs. J. Coniie!l. J.- Eccleton, F." V. Waters, Fraser-Thompson, H. Dawson, J. Carr, W. J. Meredith, G. Gilbert, C. Clarkson, Cutforth, L. King, and W Harris.-