P. AND T.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1902, 10 November 1913, Page 5

P. AND T.

GATHERING OF MEMBERS. In tho Masonic Hall on Saturday evening the delegates to tho Post and Telegraph Conference, which has been sitting in Wellington, were entertained by tho Wellington branch of the Post and Telegraph Association, There, were about 70 present. Mr. G. C. Patterson presided. Apologies for absence were received from the Prime Minister (tho Hon. W. P. Massey), the PostmasterGeneral (the Hon. it. H. Shades), Sir Joseph Ward, and the Public Service Commissioners. Owing to tho unsettled state of affairs a number of members of the association were unable to attend tho function. Tho toast of the Post and Telegraph Association was proposed by Mr. H. Combs, who said that it was an honour to belong to such an up-to-date institution. Replying, Mr. F. V, Waters remarked that tho Department was progressive, and that whether it'-was well managed or not the staff did its best to make the institution efficient. Mr. G. B. Dall also responded. Mr. F. V. Waters proposed the toast of The Associatiofl, which he wished a continued career of success. Speaking to one of the toasts, Mr.; J. Mulvey, who has been presiding at the conference, said that a commission was set tip to jnquire into the management and efficiency, system of promotion, and everything in connection with tho working of tho Civil Service, and they reported, severely condemning the methods obtaining in the service in regard to management (which they characterised as extravagant). In many cases they condemned' the system of promotion, which they said rested on seniority and not oil efficiency. The Minister brought down a Bill for .the reformation of the -Civil Service, And he included in the scope of that Bill the Post and Telegraph Department, which was _ not included in the scope of the inquiry. The arguments advanced on the floor ot the House in support of tho Bill were based upon the evidence _ given before the Civil Service Commission, and the Post aud Telegraph Department was neees* sarily included in tho condemnation of the whole Civil Service. The reason for the united action of the association at that particular time ivas that tho Department considered it unfair that tlio Department, which was always recognised as one of the most efficient branches, and was set up by the Commissioners as a model for other branches, should bo included in such a sweeping condemnation without being allowed to give evidence. The_ Department was previously well legislated for, and in the opinion of tlw association tho placing of the Department under tho scope of the Act swept away in one stroke "the result- of over 20 years steady improvement in_ internal legislation. The association, continued mi-. Alulve-v, represented about 85 per cent, of the service, so the Commissioners wero bound to recognise tho body. There was a possibility, if the examinations wero brought into force, that there would be no openings for telegraph messengers—that messengership would become a dead end. Ho did not, think the position of tho Department's balance-sheet should affect the salaries of the members of tho service. The following, items of entertainment wore contributed: —Recitation, Mr. Fraser Thomson; songs, Messrs. W. J. Meredith, J. Council, F- Howse, C). Mooch, S. AUw right, li lid P. V-.-.Waters; 'cello wlgjjMr.