POST & TELEGRAPH.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1919, Page 1

POST & TELEGRAPH.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER:

[per PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.

AUCKLAND, Nov. 16. The question of payment of' a war bonus up to September 30th last to officers Of the P. and if. department was referred to in an interview by lion. Mr Coates. The Minister said that when he took over the portfolio of Postmaster-General, one of the first things ho was asked to do was to carry out a promise alleged;,to' have been Hiadle by Sir Joseph Ward when Post-master-General in the National’ Government, that the war bonus would be granted to postal officers from October 1918, to October, 1919. He had not then looked into the matter, and his*

reply was that if the promise was on record in the departmental files, and ho was able to do so, he would meet the promise. Ho had found on the file the following minute by Cabinet’ dated “ December stli, .1918, to the recorn-

medation by Sir Joseph’ Ward’ (then

Minister for Finance): “ War bonus to bo for twelve months from October Ist, 1918, to October Ist, 1919, excepting in, cases where re-grading takes place or where there have been’ any increases of salaries. Originally the bonus was to be paid to March 31st, 1919.” He also found a departmental circular the Secretary to\the Treasury, dated December llth, 1918, .in which the following appeared:—“ I have to advise you that Cabinet' has decided to double the war bonus for the year commencing October Ist, 1918. The conditions will, however, be somewhat dxf? ferent from those which obtained in the

past. In cases where there have been increases of salary for any portion of the above period, an increased bonus wiß not be paid for any portion of the year that may’ be covered by the increased pay.” Tlie next stage was reached when” Mr Macdonald'was Act-ing-Postmaster-General, and Mr Myers was Acting-Finance Minister, when, on April 15th, 1919, Cabinet came to the following' decision, according to Departmental records:—(l) The Cabinet decisions of 'stli and 11th of December 'are cancelled; (2) the second grant of’ the war bonus was to be for six months iCommencing on October Ist, 1918.’' Beyond the Cabinet minutes quoted, there was nothing on the records to show that a fresh decision was come to after Sir Joseph Ward returned to New Zealand or that Sir Joseph Ward made ‘any promis'e. Mr Coates said he approached the Executive officers of the P. and T. Association for definite evi-dence-of the promise, stated to have : been made, but thpy could give him I nothing tangible to go oik