ALLEGED INTIMIDATION.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 October 1919, Page 5

ALLEGED INTIMIDATION.

I-'BI‘ITION BY P.‘ AND T. OFFLCERS

FUIII. INQUIR 1' SO UG 'vl'l‘.

WELLINGTON, Se 1' 3n

1 Sir John Findlay presented :1 peti- [ tion to the House to-night from -0-fficers , of the Post and Telegraph Department ' in which the petitioners sought Parliameni’s protection from alleged intimiU dation. The petitioners set forth that i in March last the Association had realf Son to complain of the conduct of one I of the district telegraph engineers, who, i it was alleged, made certain statements !to one of his subordinate officers (C. E. Collins), to the effect that the intterest Mr Collins had taken in As- ‘ sociation matters had detrinientally ' afliect-ed his career as an o-ffieer in the ‘Post. and Telegraph Department, and ithat cessation of Association activity I was only needed to ensure him a bet- ‘ tel" ofi‘icia=l future. ‘The Association I also took stron-g exception to the atti- | tude adopted by the same district engiE neer to Mr J. H. McKenzie, vice-presi-’dent of the Association, in connection 9 with .&ss’ocialtiol2 matters. the ‘engi;neer’.~: attitude showing, in the opin'ion of the executive council of the iAssoeiation. hostility to the AssociEation not calculated to -a-ssist -in the ieflicient working of the Department’sl ‘ business. The petition . continues: l “The Association regards anything in the nature of a "threat or gtatement by the senior officer of the .Department to an tofliec.-r under his control, ‘that the career of the last—meirtioned ofiicer is imperilled by reason "of his taking any interest in Association matters, as a serious Inatter, which is calculated to] prejudice the good rel‘a:tionship which‘ has existed in the past in the Depart‘ mental s_el-vice.” The .-‘\sseciation therefore asked for‘ a magisterial enquiry into the cireunr! stances. ipo*i‘nting' out that unless impar- I tial inquiry were made “to them ‘the! feeiings of.’ irneasiness engendered must be increased, and would ultimately result in loss of confidence as between officers holding senior positions and those junior to them. The Association's request for a magisterial inquiry was, however. refused, and -the House was, therefore,’ petitioned to order an in-I quiry into the matter and take such| other steps “as will prevent the recurrence of any such intimidation as is} alleged in -this petition.” I