WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PUBLIC SERVICE AND LABOUR ALLIANCE.

THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. ( WELLINGTON, April 10 The Postmaster-General’s letter informing the secretary of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association that the Government views with “serious disfavour” the proposal of the Association to link up with the Alliance of Labour and that it cannot “under any consideration” countenance such a proceeding, is generally approved in business and political circles. People, however, are placing very diverse constructions upon the Minister’s words. Some of them hold that Mr Coates’s assertion that the Government cannot agree to ally officer of the Post and Telegraph Department “endeavouring to serve the Government' aiid at the same time the Alliance of Labour” is tantamount to a warning to the members of the Association that if they persist in their determination to join the Alliance they will be liable to dismissal from the Public Service. Others maintain that the words mean that the Minister will not tolerate any .interference with the officers of the Department by outsiders, and others again that "they are intended to frighten the Association into abandoning its proposal. The last suggestion may be dismissed at once. The Minister realises the gravity of the situation far too well to deal in mere bluff. WHAT IT MEANS.

No one suspects Mr Coates of having deliberately disguised the intentions of the Government, but everyone admits he has left them a little obscure. The general opinion here is that the Government having registered its protest against the Association allying itself with a labour organisation will not await developments. If the Association is wise it will follow the same course, simply acknowledging the Minister’s letter and also awaiting developments. A little delay might enable both parties to view the position in a better defined perspective. The Government might discover that its authority had not been undermined by the Association’s affiliation with the Alliance and the Post all 1 Telegraph officers might realise they had nothing to gain by an assumption of militant unionism. Already a number of those that voted for affiliation are repenting and these added to those who voted against the proposition and those who have never joined the Association make up a substantial majority of the officers of the Department. In these circumstances it cannot be said the revolutionary section has secured a verv decisive yictofy.

THE AFFILIATOR’S VIEW. The supporters of the proposal foi affiliation ifescili strongly the suggestion that its adoption will lessen the officers’ regard for the sanctity of the oath of sefirecy they took on entering the service. This point was mentioned during the propaganda campaign which preceded the ballot and it was emphasised by the supporters of affiliation that every obligation borne by the officers of the Department would remain undisturbed. It should be remembered, too, that in the event of the affiliation being completed the Alliance of Labour will deal with the Executive of the Associaton and not with individual members. This point Is important because the Executive will he representative of the members of the Association and not of the firebrands that are popularly supposed to constitute the controlling authority of the Alliance of Labour. But after all this has been said, and given its due weig.it the fact remains that the Association is losing some of its independence and usefulness and, for the moment, at any rate, breeding distrust in the minds of ir large section ot the public.

THE PARTY ASPECT. With a general election looming in the not far distant future, it is inevitable the responsible party politicians should attempt to make capital out of this latest Labour development. The Hollandites, of course, are delighted by ti e result of the ballot, persuading themselves that it is a definite accession of strength to the aggressive Labour Party. The Liberals view the situation with much less satisfaction. They recognise that the suggestion of the Civil Service coming under the influence of the Alliance of Labour will alarm many timid people ready to move forward along constitutional paths, hut wholly opposed to revolutionary methods. Anonymous correspondents are writing to the newspapers asking Mr Wilford what he intends to do in the matter, obviously wishing to embarrass the leader of the new LiberalLabour party at a time when bis friends would wish him to move with the utmost circumspection. The Prime Minister and the Postmaster-General stand in the position of the strong men and just now it iooks as if the Government were going to profit by the trouble.