POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 219, 10 June 1919, Page 6

POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS

I THE SCHEDULE OF SALARIES MERIT THE SOLE FACTOR FOR PROMOTION (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, Juno 9. Mr. G. M'Namara, superintendent of stall for New Zealand, ami a member qf tho newly-constituted Promotion Board, addressed a very largo meeting of officers ot tho Post and Telegraph Association. Mr. M'Namara said the maximum agreed to for a first-cto rank and file clerical officer was .£270 per annum. Tha current list was compiled oil this basis, but if it were found that any other Cf the signatories to the agreement failed to observo this amount as a maximum neither would the Post and Telegraph Department, and a re-schedulo would take place immediately. Noteworthy steps had been taken to ensure fair play. Owing to the higher increments now prevailing and the different subdivisions it tm not always possible to avoid mistakes. Members must remember that with the new regulations the Secretary had power to set right an error if such existed. It was estimated that the cost of the increases would bo JJ150,(M)0.. This being so, officers could realise why _ in ono year it was not practicable to satisfy all hands. Tho Department could not be run on exactly the same lines as a mercantile house. It was the intention of tho Department to 1 select the best men and put them in oharge, and pay adequately for the work dono. Merit, and merit alone, would bo the 6010 factor for promotion, but at the same timo the second-raters would receivo a living wage. Commenting on tho question a.* to a statement that other portions of tie Public Service wcro to reeeivo an increase of not less tliaji X 43 por annum, Mr. Jl'Namara advised tho officers to wait anil see, reminding tliem of tho previous experiences with tlio Commissioner. If it ware found that tlio rest of the service did obtain greater concessions then the Post and Telegraph pepartment would not be found wanting in bringing their schedules into line. Mr. Shrimpton, Chief Telegraph Engineer, and a member of the Promotion Board, stated that the installation of automatic exchanges would not result in tho dismissal of any permanent switchboard attendants. Work would ho found for them. It was felt by many of those present that tho explanations were fair and reasonable, and would allay some of the unrest that prevailed.