P. AND T. GRIEVANCES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3503, 15 June 1920, Page 7

P. AND T. GRIEVANCES.

.._._..__.....D....t \ .-.\NOTH ER. (JRISIS.

U]"Lb‘l(_‘b‘RS DIbTb‘~A'I‘ISFI}:ID WITH .[’Rl*]MlEß’b‘ REPLY.

TDIIIIT.E(-1.-k'I"ES C-CL\IMUI\’ICA'I‘E WITH BRANCHES.

WELLINGTON, June 12‘

, . . _ _ V‘ .\vgutlutzolls botwuuu ihc I’. and J.

Ufiicers’ Conference and the Government reached 41 head this morning, the posil.ion being‘ made clear in a statenle'nt supplied by the conference covering; le’r.l’ers which _[m:ls§e¢‘l between it and the Prime Minister. The following letter was sent by the .seeretary of. the conference ('_.\l'r Combs} to the Prime L\linist(=r on Thursday: “I ‘have f.o':lcknowledge your letter of the 7tllTinst., and to say that 21 (ion‘ferenee of this association being new in session, your letter was read to the delegates assembled. I am sorry for mlvise you that your reply is not ele:xr- I 1y umler;~'tood. and I am directed to 1151: if you intended. the Association to conclude from your reply that the result»: rezrehed by the railway fribun~ :11 are to be applied to and become binding upon members of the I’. and 'l‘. service. If so. my delegates direct me To enler the strongest possible objecliozr lo such px'opos:ll. This sel'vice( had no opportunity of’ being heard‘ by! any of the railway tribunals, and its!‘ \'iews and eomlifions ere pl':let‘ie:llly urri-;::<n~.‘n 1n them. On the szllary qnes-’ lion I am directed to point out that the issue is. a simple one so far as this! A.<soe'ln‘rlen is concerned, viz., whefher

tho basic wage of 1914 (£165) should or should not be imp.l'ove«l to the ex-

tent of living, wit'h',consequent adjustments above and below the new basic point to cover the special skill, education, and‘ responsibilities, or to meet the case of oificers being trained. As the principal business of this conference revolves around this essential point, it. is hoped you can not only answer the query in the first part of this letfer, but that you can also give an answer to the major point as well.”

THE PREMIER ’S REPLY. ‘ Mr Massey replied under date June 11 as follows: “I have to acknowledge» receipt of your letter of yesterday, from which I am sorry to learn my reply, to which you refer, is not clearly understood by yourself or the members of your Association. The position is to my mind very simple. As soon as the Government receives the rcconimcndation from the tribunal which is dealing‘ with the Wag‘es and czonditions of railwaymen, the whole question of what. bonus should be g'l':ultcd. to postal oiiicers and other members of the Public Service will be considered by Cabinet, and their decision so far as the P. and 'l‘. Department is oonccrned~ Will’ be made known to your organisation. I understand the tribunal dealing with matters in which the Railway Department are interested will conclude its sitting to-day, 01' not later than to-morrow. Then the Rai.lu'ay Officers’ Institute tribunal will be immediately convened, but as their business may be said to be not so complicated as is the case with the other .two branches; of the railwfay service, its sitting should not take long.” .-

{ The conference, when this letter was read out, expressed the strongest indignation ‘rhat.the‘ P. and T. offi-r-ors' grievances should be settled on the basis of the railway grievances I and conc‘.itions, and not on their own merits, and absolute astonishment was expressed that the important salary question, which had been directly before the Government asince May 4 last, should be converted now into a “bony us" question. An urgent telegram: embodying the feelings of the cnnferd enco was dospafchcd to Mr Massey, and the conference adjourned, pend+ iflg receipt of his reply to a request for an interview.

The delegates are now in communid cation with their bran:-.hes‘,~ and it is <-xpoctod the Whole question Will’l)e rlxol'e:2g?lly gone into by members throughout .\'ew Zealnnd.