DISMISSED P. AND T. MEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 860, 2 January 1930, Page 8

DISMISSED P. AND T. MEN

Sir.— Recently four skilled telegraph operators and also two lads, engaged in minor duties in the Auckland Telegraph Office, were dismissed from their positions at a moment’s notice. These men disobeyed a somewhat frayed regulation that has been winked at by all strata of the Post and Telegraph service for years. They were found guilty and probably deserved some punishment; yes, punishment to fit the crime, if it may be called a crime, but not the vicious penalty of “instant dismissal.” What does this penalty mean? It means that men specialised in work that is unproductive outside the department’s monopoly will now have to rank as unskilled labourers. The one man who -was due to retire shortly loses the pension that would have been his due and for which he had subscribed for 35 years at the rate of 5 per cent, of his salary. The other officers concerned forfeit a like amount. If the man had been running 30 bookmakers’ dens on the same lines as a chain of shops he could not have been more harshly dealt with. So much for the men who are smarting under the injustice of official harshness. Keeping in mind that bookmaking is illegal, one would think that the postal

people would do their utmost to cooperate with the police to exterminate these social vampires, but what do we find? The Post Office Installs in their premises telephones, rents them private boxes, and handles betting telegrams without which the bookmakers could hardly exist. If the department were really sincere in its desire to stamp out gambling, instead of spying on its employees by “listening-in,” it would have been a more fatherly act to work hand in hand with the Police Department to exterminate the bookmaker by the same methods. The position as it stands at present is a public scandal and the whole business calls for ar inquiry. Punish the delinquents by all means, transfer them if necessary, or fine them. That would amply meet the cases, but the callous method adopted by the. department calls for a united public protest from those persons of the community who recognise the curse of gambling carried on outside the racecourse. JUSTICE. 1