POST AND TELEGRAPH SALARIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1924, Page 3

POST AND TELEGRAPH SALARIES.

It KIM,V TO MINISTKI!

WKI.KINGTON, September 21b Mr 11. K. Combs, .secretary of the I’ei.st and Telegraph Officers’ Associ11ion, replying to .Mr Coates, says: ‘ The Postmaster-General’s statement is so full of generalities that it is hard ~ know where to begin in replying to him, hut one may fairly take his reference to ihi* extravagant salaty demands put forward by the association iiol generally endorsed by < 0.)() inemhers.’ .

'|’he associal ion, he said, asked lor the restoration of the l!H! standard of living. As its members did mil live in on extravagant fashion in 101 I lar from it —it was lor Mr Coalci t„ prove that such a demand was extravagant. As a matter of tact, although the e-ust of living for all groups was'over GO per cent, higher than it was in l!)l-l, the association only asked that the maximum for telegraphists, etc., should he raised bv JO pm cent., and lor postmen etc., by M Per cent. It only asked that telegraph messengers he paid Clio lor the first vear and LTO for the second whereas, in Australia, they were paid 077 That the Ponartmcnt was m a position to agree to these moderate demands was shown by its annual report and the Budget, in which the value of the concessions in postage and telegraph rates was estimated to ho over t!000,000.

Mr Combs said be wanted to maice it dear that lie never had a personal discussion with Mr Conte* on 1 1 salarv question. 1C very time lie met Mr Coates it was as one ot a de-put tion from the association and what was said during the course of the interview was said on behalf .it the - rganisalion. and under its instruct.ms. lie was in agreement with the representations made, anel still thoughtliov wore very reasonable, especmli.. a , 'the Government had a handsome surplus in hand, and therefore was in a position to pay.