P. & T. DISMISSALS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1930, Page 3

P. & T. DISMISSALS

UPHELD BY WELLINGTON BUSINESS MEN.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, September 1(1

Maintaining that it was absolutely essential that secrecy .should be observed in the Post .Office, the Chairman of the Wellington Chamber oi Commerce, Mr D. J. McGowan, tonight expressed the opinion that the action of the Department in dismissing six officers of the Auckland Telegraph Office for divulging information in regard to telegrams, deserved the commendation of the business community.

A resolution was passed protesting against tlie reinstatement of any officer who had been found guilty of such offence.

Mr McGowan said that, since the last meeting of the Council of the Chamber, lie had read in the newspapers that a Parliamentary Committee had recommended that the men he taken on again, for the reason that the punishment of dismissal was too harsh. As the matter of divulging information in the Post Office was a most serious one, he had made it his business to ascertain the fads. ’Die men. concerned were suspected of divulging information in regard to racing telegrams, lie continued. They were tried before a Magistrate at Auckland, and were found guilty, rhey were then dismissed l’ro.n the service. They were heard befoio the Appeal Board, consisting of a .vlagistrate, a. member appointed by tl e Department, and one member elected by the votes of those employed in the Department. The appeal was dismissed, the three members on the Appeal Board, including the men’s representative, concurring in the decision. The men had then petitioned Parliament and he understood that the same evidence was given before the Parliamentary Committee.' He had looked up the Statutes on this question, and be found that in the Post and Telegraph Act, it was provided that officers who divulged information in re gard to telegrams were liable to a fine not exceeding £IOO, or to imprl sonment for a period not exe edinp six months. In view of that it could not be said that the punishment was harsh. The Postal Officers, lie understood, took an oath of secrecy when they were employed, and it was absolutely essential that this oath should he kept inviolate. “This,” concluded -Mr McGowan, “is essentially; a finatter for the business man -to Consider. He should, by every means in his power;-support the Department in ii.s endeavour to uphold the fine traditions that have existed in the Post Office. Tie fact that the telegrams were racing telegrams has no hearing on tlie question. They might as well have been business telegrams.”