P. & T. OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 182, 4 May 1925, Page 8

P. & T. OFFICERS

APATHY IN CHRISTCHURCH SECRETARY’S ATTITUDE SUPPORTED AFFILIATION WITH ALLIANCE DEPRECATED By Telegraph—Press AssociationChristchurch, May 3. A special general meeting of the Canterbury section of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association considered the questions of agreeing to allow the general secretary (Dlr. H. It. Combs) to stan I for Parliament, and rescinding the resolution to affiliate with the Alliance of Labour. Mr. H. B. Ward presided over a small attendance. The chairman moved: —“(a) That this section, recognising Mr. _ Combs’s worth and ability, and believing that irrespective ot the party, he would be a»t asset to Parliament, extends him cordial good wishes for success at the forthcoming general election; (b) that Mr. Combes’s services as permanent secretary be retained in the meantime should 'he be successful in * gaining political honours in December next; (c) that one hundred and twelve days’ accumulated leave be granted Mr. Combs as early as possible; this section is of opinion however, that any such accumulation of leave is wholly undesirable, and strongly urges the ' executive committee to guard against any repetition of the same in the future; (d) that the section, recognising that the association consists of ■ approximatelv 8000 members with widely differing views on matters political and otherwise, is strongly adverse to the use of the ‘Katipo’ lor party propaganda, atid advises the executive accordingly.” Political Rights.*. The chairman deprecated the Wellington section’s attack on Mr. Combs, who, he said, had done good work for the association. Political rights had been advocated by the association, and that being the case, it was unfair to rlenv Air.-Combs such a right himself, since he had placed his. resignation in th- bands of the association. The motion was passed after some discussion on clause (d), the opinion being expressed that the columns of th*. .“Katipo” had been used too much in the past for political“purposes. The view was also expressed that there was room for considerable improvement in the matter published in the magazine. ( - Affiliation Undesirable. The chairman moved that the executive take steps to rescind the motion relative to the decision to affiliate with the Alliance of Labour. He submitted that instead of gaining anything by ’deciding to affiliate with the alliance, members had in fact gone back. Mr. Turner said there was no chance ,of any Government in future allowing Public servants to join up with the outside labour organisation, owing to the confidential nature of their work. The only way to get their grievances seen to was through members of Parliament. If there were a strike at anv time, the commercial community would get together and break it, as telegraphs were essential to them. “A Useless Body.” The alliance was described by Mr. Lawrence as a useless body, of no service to Labour, and of no use to the association. He knew it would not be unacceptable to the Government if the whole body of Public servants were placed under the Arbitration Court, but he hoped this would never come about, as it would not benefit the association. As the meeting had dwindled to less than a quorum, the matter will have to be decided at a late? date.