P. AND T. OFFICERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1922, Page 5

P. AND T. OFFICERS.

QUESTION OF JOINING S FEDERATION. „ 1 COMMENTS BY THE MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Lass Night. An important comment on the question of the ballot to be taken, by the post and telegraph officers regarding joining up with the Federation of Labor was made to-day by the Post-master-General. Mr. Coates said: “I am rather \loath to make any reference to the matter, as it is a question which the officers, or a certain section of officers, have taken up themselves, but I think it might be advantageous for me to give my views. There is no doubt in my mind that the desire for such a ballot is not by any means unanimous. Indeed, I feel certain that if every officer who is entitled to vote exercises his or her right, the result will be entirely opposed to any affiliation with the Federation of Labor. It is therefore incumbent on every officer to see that his vote goes in. “What would be the position if the ballot was in favor of the one big union? It would mean that the activities of a large public service such as the Post and Telegraph Department might be to some extent interfered with by the officials of a labor organisation. In the event of trouble arising from the movement that is \ taking place, I feel quite confident there are a sufficient number of thoroughly loyal officers to enable us to carry on the service. “The proposal of the post and telegraph to join up with one Dig union is one that the people of the country will never agree to, and I believe it will be a very serious mistake from the post and telegraph point of view. That is not the serious aspect of the question. We all know that the officers are pledged to secrecy, and I am pleased to say that up to the present the service can be relied upon to maintain that oath, but what if the officers of the association became part and parcel of one big union? Could the Government and the administration rely upon each officer in the event of any extreme action on the part of the Federation of Labor ? “The question is sufficient in itself to suggest that for the good of the country as a whole, the joining up with the one big union is entirely* wrong. If the good work of the association’s executive for years past is now to be shattered by present day proposals, urging affiliation with a body whose conditions and ideals are in no way similar to those of the telegraph officers, the position will i naturally have to be reconsidered by I all concerned. “I should, perhaps, remark here for public information,” concluded the Minister, “that included in the list of officers entitled to vote, there are approximately 800 message boys and message girls, /varying in age from 14 to 16 years, and many junior officers varying from 16 to 21, who I might ba permitted to say are not in a position to judge for themselves as to the correct way record their vote, and therefore sh>ild not be permitted to record it. “I would just like to say it is most unfortunate that the question of taking a vote has been decided upon, and as I believe the voting takes place within the next few days, I trust every officer entitled to vote will do so.”