POSTPONED.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1922, Page 4

POSTPONED.

P. & T. AND ALLIANCE. DELAY IN AFFILIATION. PETITION TO PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, East Night. The long-drawn-out conference of representatives of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association came to a conclusion at Wellington to-day at about 4.30 in the afternoon, when the delegates proceeded to Parliament Buildings and met the Postmaster-General Hon. J. G. Coates). This meeting was not open to the Press, but afterwards Mr. Coates made the following statement:— “During the past week delegates of the Post and Telegraph Association have been in conference in Wellington tn discuss the Government’s intimation that affiliation with the Alliance of Labor would not be permitted. Late this afternoon the whole of the delegates met the Postmaster-General and informed him that it had been decided to postpone affiliation for the present.”

Mr. Coates declined to comment on the decision of the men’s representatives. Mr. Combs, secretary of the P. and T. Association, informed a reporter this evening that the conference concluded afte.’ passing the following resolution:—“Having had confirmed by the Postmaster-General the advice given by three independent legal authorities showing that the Alliance of Labor is a lawful combination of organisations affiliated thereto, this conference of delegates cannot assume power to surrender its lawful rights of membership to a combine with other workers for Iftwful purposes; further, having been told by the Postmaster-General that the Government’s embargo on affiliation being carried out is a question of policy, and does not in any way challenge the legality of affiliation, the officers of the association are directed to arrange for the presentation of a petition to Parliament praying for the withdrawal of the Government’s embargo on the grounds that it is not right to intimidate any section of citizens to surrender a measure of their free and lawful rights under threat of victimisation.”