DISCONTENTED CIVIL SERVANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1625, 17 December 1912, Page 6

DISCONTENTED CIVIL SERVANTS.

POST AND, TELEGRAPH TROUBLE. It ds bruited abroad that one branch at the Post and Telegraph Department is seething with discontent at the change in the official constitution of the branch consequent upon the Department being placed under the Publio Service Classification Act. As is very well known, the Post and Telegraph services in' New Zealand were at one time two separate Gov. eminent Departments, each with ite own head, who was responsible only to the Minister.. When the two Departments became one, the head of the telegraph branch retained his status as subordinate to no one in the Department, and answerablei only .-.to the. Minister. This, it is understood, was the position duringthe regime of the late Dr. Lemon, and also that, of the late Mr. J. K. Logan. Now, however, that the Department hag. come under the Publio Service Classification Act, the head of the telegraph engineering branch (Mr. Orchardson) has. not been placed under the.Secretary, but is classed under the Assistant-Secretary of the Department, with the result, that the officers, of the telegraph branch are reduced in status, and, it is said, have less chance of receiving the higher salaries paid under the old order, and' this despite the fact that new and. very important work is being added to_ their dutios .in the installation of wireless telegraphy and the proposed installation of automatic telephones. It is understood that the officers of the branch alleged to hi suffering by tho change noted intend to take an early opportunity of ventilating their grievance..