THE "P. & T." MEN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1483, 4 July 1912, Page 5

THE "P. & T." MEN.

PRESENTATION TO SIR JOSEPH WARD. A large gathering of postal and telegraph officers assembled at tho Masonic Hall last evening, when the delegates to the Post and Telegrapih Officers' Association .Conference were entertained by tho officers of the General Post Office in Wellington. There were over 200 present. Mr. M. W. Chant presided. The guest of tho evening was Sir Joseph Ward (who was accompanied by Lady Ward and Miss Eileen Ward), and the Hon. H. G. Ell, Postmaster-General, was also present. The toast of "The Postmaster-General and the Department." was proposed by Jlr. H. A. Huggins, who took the opportunity of welcoming tho new PostmasterGeneral (Mr. Ell). The development and progress of tho Post and Telegraph Department was. said tho speaker, largely associated irith tho name of Mr. Ell s predecessor (Sir Joseph Ward), who had earned the esteem cf all ranks in tho Department. They had'three ideals of service in the Department—constant progress, service to the public, and, individually, good work. The speaker concluded by. extending to Mr. D. Robertson (Secretary of the Dopartment), the congratulations of tho service upon receiving the Companionship of the Imperial Service Order—there were now ■ three officers of the Dopartment to whom had been awarded this distinction. (ApplauseJ Replying to tho'. toast,, the Hon. H. G. Ell reviewed tho proposals of the Government with regard to the future developments of tho Post Office, and tho extensions of its services to tho public with regard to the carriage of fish and fruit by post, rural postal deliveries, motor-car mail sorvices, cheap telephone, automatic telephone exchanges, and public slot telephones. The speaker concluded his remarks with a felicitous referenco to Sir Joseph Ward's association with the development of tho Department. ' Next year," said tho Minister, "it is intended 'to hold a Postal Union Conference at Madrid, when tho matter of endeavouring to bring all tho countries of the.Postal Union into line will be again brought forward, and I hopo that the beginning rf the following year w.ill see a Tate of Id. per oz. or its equivalent accepted by ill the countries of the Union." Mr. D. Robertson (Secretary of the Post Office) gave an interesting review'of the progress and'extensions of the post and telegraph services during the past twenty years, from IS9I till 1011. The principal event of tho ovening was the presentation to Sir Joseph Ward, by Mr. Robertson, of the picture, purchased from the Bnillie collection at a cost of .£IOO by the officers of tho Department. Mr. Robertson.referred to the respect and rffection in, which their late Minister-in-charge had been regarded, and traced the progressive improvements .in the conditions of labour and remuneration conceded to the officers of the Department during tho last twenty years, instancing the gradual raising of the maximum pay iu the lower grades of the -service, the introduction of the classification sdhetne, and superannuation fund, -bir. Joseph' Ward, who was accorded u cordial on rising .to speak, referred in felicitous terms to the pleasant relations which had existed beiween the officers of the Department, with their representative association, , and himself, and paid a high tribnte to the quality of the service which had been rendered .by such men as the late Messrs. Gray and Rose, and Dr. Lennan, as well as the present executive heads of tho various branches. The speaker concluded with an appreciative reference to the ideals and methods of the Post and Telegranh Officers' Association as evidenced in its dealings with him when.head of the Denartmerit.

Cheers were then given for Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, and Miss Eileen Ward. Other toasts were "The Post and Telegraph Officers' Association" (proposed by Mr. H. D. Edwards, and responded to by Messrs. J. Mulvey and H. E. Combs); "The Delegates" (proposed bv Mr. R. Cameron, and responded to'by Messrs. J. Coad, of Auckland, J. Holmes, of Napier, and D. Murrey, of Timaru):'"Tho Appeal Board" (proposed by Mr. J. Mex. ander, and responded to bv Messrs. L An , c! S, n 1? d A-'Mill) j "Tho Ladies," and "Tho Press."

During the evening musical and other items were contributed by Messrs. J. Connell. J. Cut, D. Kennv, F. V. Waters y yed th ° accom "