LAST NIGHT'S MEETING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10616, 15 June 1920, Page 6

LAST NIGHT'S MEETING

AffTITUDE OF CONFERENCE APPROVED. CONGRATULATIONS ON PRESENT POSITION. A special meeting of tho Wellington Post and Telegraph Officers' Association was held at the Masonic Hall, ,Boulcott street, last night, to consider tho letter received from the'Prime Minister in reply to one from tho association in regard to the inadequacy of present wages and salaries in view of the great increase in the cost of living. Both letters were published in yesterday's "New Zealand Times.'' Mr M. Cummings (chairman) presided over a crowded audience. A number of P. and T. Conference delegates occupied seats on tho platform.

Reporting the result of tho deputation to the Prime Minister that afternoon, tho chairman said that the Prime Minister had committed himself to their demand for a pro rata increase in wages and salaries to meet the increased cost of living. Ho had definitely stated that he would agree to their figures in regard to the increased cost of living, provided they >\vero substantiated by his board of inquiry ; and tho delegates wore quite satisfied with that, because their figures were the Government figures, and if Mr Massey went back on them he would be going back on the Government's own figurcu. He thought that the delegates had done all that they could, and he asked tho meeting to signify by resolution that it was satisfied with what the delegates had done. ... A member .of the association said that the. conference had reported in May last that they were satisfied with Mr Massey's reply, but tho association had seen how little reason they had to be satisfied. Mr Massey had turned n somersault, and had upset tho whole position. Tho chairman said that what caused the uproar in conference the other day was the fact that Mr Massey had had tho audacity to throw up to them the question of a bonus. At the deputation that afternoon they had distinctly told Mr Massey that they did not want a bonus, but an increase on tho classification list. The Prime Minister's statement that afternoon had been on the same lines as his statement in May last, with tho exception that Mr Massey had been more definite this time. He had distinctly stated that he would . go on classification, and that the increases would tlato from April Ist. THE RESOLUTION.

A member ot tho association moved: "That this meeting is perfectly satisfied with the attitude of conferenco, and congratulates them on the present position." . The member who had previously spoken seconded the motion, saying that he did not wish to reflect in any way on conference. But Mr Massey had played the acrobat. He was glad to hear that tho increase was to be- on classification, not by way of a bonus Other members also expressed doubt of the Prime Minister's intentions, one saying that ho was just putting them of till confernece adjourned, and would then try and put them off with a £24 bonus, or something of that sort. Others contended that, nothing short of direct actiomi would'secure what the association wanted. The P. and T. Association, it was urged, should do as the railway societies had dortc. They must show that they would not be played with, as Mr Massey had played with conferenco that afternoon. A member asked, whether the constitution allowed of a strike ballot being taken, and was assured by conference that the constitution had been altered to permit of that being done. A voice in the body of tho .hall demanded why Mr Massey had thrcatcnI cd their secretary (Mr Combs) at the 'deputation that afternoon. When their secretary said that, so far as the association was concerned, constitutional action was on its trial> Mr Mas3ey jumped up and said that he wanted no threats. .(Laughter.') Direct action, maintained the member, was tho only way to get satisfaction. They could Stick to constitutional action for sax months longer, and at the end of that time they would be no better off than they were now. (Applause, laughter, and dissent.) A conference delegate emphasised the fact that Mr Massoy's reply that afternoon had been much more definite than that in May tost. Ho had, as the chairman had said, committed himself to a pro rata increase in proportion to tho cosb of living on the classification list, and no* by bonus. Tho adjustment of the matter, stated tbo chairman, would not be indefinitolv postponed, as Mr Massey bad told them that he wanted.it settled beforo Parliament met. and Parliament was to meet on the 24th inst. Afcr somo further discussion tho motion was carried with a few dissentient voices. TELEGRAM TO ALL. SECTIONS. The chairman read out the following telegram, which had been sent by the conference secretary to all sections of the New Zealand P. and T. Association :—"Primo Minister to-day definitely committed Government in presence of full conference to pro rata increase

in salaries or wages in sympathy with ascertained cost of living increase. Question of consequential adjustments will be referred to a board to bo set 'up when each branch of public service will bo dealt with on its own merits. Mr Massey further stated if service was not satisfied with salary schedules when produced delegates may return and place i'ho service objections to same before him. Telegram read to full conference before dispatch." STRONG RESOLUTIONS FROM WANGANUI. ri!R PRESS ASSOCIATION. AVANGANUI, June 14. At. a Jargo meeting of the Wanganui section of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association held this evening the following resolutions were carried unanimously:— (1) That this meeting instructs the conference, not to leave, Wellington until increased salaries according to.'the increased cost of living (stated by Mr Massey to bo 62 per oent.) aTe assured ; that a bonus be not considered and that the increases take effect from January Ist, l&K). Wo further pledge ourselves to support tho conference in any action necessary to obtain our just demands."

"(2) That tho conference demands that tho outstanding bonus according to Sir Joseph Ward's promise be paid immediately. _ .

"(3) That this meeting impresses on the conferenco that temporary employees did not receive the £45 increase in wages from April Ist, 1919, and that they therefore should receive special consideration in the matter of a special bonus from that dato, to bring them into line with the other employees."

In connection with the third resolution various speakers considered it absurd that married temporary linesmen ab the present time should receive only twelvo shillings a day. DUNEDIN DEMANDS. DUNEDIN, Juno 14. At a large and representative meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association last night tho following resolutions were carried unanimously:— "(1) That this meeting gives the conference its unconditional support in any action it desires to take and recommends that in the event of an unsatisfactory decision being received from the Prime Minister in reference to the salary dispute, pressure be brought to bear on the Government to grant the immediate setting up of a special tribunal as outlined by the Labour Tribunal Investigation Act, 1913, to consider and agree upon a settlement. "(2) That this section advise conference that a 'bonus' in any shape is unacceptable, and we demand that any further increase that may bo granted be on a salary basis "(3) That conference be urjeed to remain in session until finality ifi the present negotiations with the Government is reached." PRIME MINISTER'S PROMISE. CHRISTOHURCH. June 14. A meeting of about three hundred members of the North Canterbury section of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association was held to-night. The original purpose of the meeting wasi to discuss Mr Massey's proposition to grant, a bonus instead of the increase in salary asked for by the associaton, and to discuss the best means obtaining tho increase desired. When the section assembled, however, the section secretary road a. telegram from tho general secretary of the association in Wellington stating that Mr Massey had definitely committed tho Government, in tho presence of the full Post and Telegraph Conference, to a pro rata increase in salaries or wages in sympathy with the ascertained cost of riving. A motion that the hearty thanks of the section bo conveyed to conference for its work on behalf of tho Post and Telegraph officers was carried, and the meeting was brought to a close without further discussion.