P.& T. ASSOCIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1932, Page 6

P.& T. ASSOCIATION

REGARDING. THE EMBARGO' (Per Press Association — Copyright ) ‘.[.'•j , WELLINGTON, August 3. , r Ph# Postmaster-General, Hon. A. ifiyniltjm made -a statement to-day, in reference to the recent report issued by the R., and T. Employees’ Association. Re; said that th e Association’s reference to the embargo on tljer Association* did not sta.tu the position;-/? The Minister out•iififlL |iis communications with the President tofLthe. Aissocmtibrf, stating that, prior to- yesterday’s- .meeting of ,Rie-;Executivi- ini Wellington, he had agreed to Sijjcji ,a meeting, and had added that, i||; after -the meeting, the President wit£,of 'the opinion that any useful 3 purpose, could be served by a (pprsoifil intejfview, he. would be prepared [to sei# the Executive, but that ib urmsf be cleanly understood that if tfip expressed a -desir e to \yait upon the; -Minister', it would be ,jq ) ,,eyi ( |ence -that the Association was prepared to meet the Government’s fishes;that no .political activities shall be peifnitted in fuure.

The Association, said Mr Hamilton, met and decided that although the .staff of the 'Association and, Associa- ; fish’s paper v should not b e permitted to urgb political,.changes, and that its new jij.iile ibgajyling political propaganda jshoiild' 'b4 inoperative until- it cbuld he delfctody yet it was not prepared ito give anv undeistanding to refrain from political activities.’ In these circa instances, the Minister said, h : e. informed the Executive that, as it; ,-hAdj.'not giyen. -such . an undertaking, 1 ,coqld ndt i see? any good* be served by meeting the. Association;.Kxecutivo.-

REPLY ff'O EMPLOYEES SECaMOTARY. WELLINGTON, August 4. The I’ostmiaster General’s charge of inacciuracy in 'the 1 P. and T. Employees Association’s report of recent negotnttions to regain ’ recognition is most astonishing, 'in view of the relevant 1 feotf'fiespondeuce,-' stated thie Secretary of.' 'the Association, Mr J. H. McKem- ‘ zie, and that such a charge can be ; hiade at all is simply because the Mini'etef has .adamant to requests (for either fi-kyrittien emplification of ''tHe' term “(politioal activities,” or to Jjfrint. a pefsoirjie'l interview to discuss matter. 1 ’ Lj? ? ?' r *it is to sa.y that the r of. .tlie ; Association gave his ■''personal underaking that no political ‘afitivßies permitted in -the .'future, no such a definite ’ Unijefitakifig itj|;.executive of the Absbdiation .. in s 'We3lihgton ? In the ’.the Minister' naq stated these terms a [condition to an executive meeting and as the Association was, .con-,' ‘stitutidirdlHy. body;’-It had been easy for its President to give reasonable assurances to refrain from , poilitical activities, pairticfilarly of a .party nature, but it had requested .That th wliiat . might’

b,e meant by political activities in general, iahpnld he discussed between the .Minjstdgf of tlie • As:spcaatioif. .a.. When the meeting of the executive ~tpok place, the President’s- action had been endorsed, and .it. was.-agreed that all phases ofbpolitical activity would he avoided, with the one exception of retainjifg the right to make representations j |i| members of Parliament or 3tihe ppblio concerning 'Legislative measures detrim-MTthlly affecting the conditions of pay in the service. - Withopt spK|ting words, it wa.s the AsnefuisaT to- forego this right : tbafc eaffsed the Minister to deny ft* tires an an die-nee and if pur fppjijpif effnet is inaccurate, the’ 1 iJpipdHfe to the Minister to say frankdefinition of political action tefrfter allowing for those phases already declared ourselves > of avoiding.