P. & T. SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1922, Page 5

P. & T. SERVICE.

MOVE TO JOIN ALLIANCE. DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. FATE OF THE PETITION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House to-day, Mr. J. Dickson (Chalmers), chairman of the M to Z Public Petitions Committee, laid on tne table the report of the committee on the petition of the Poet and Telegraph Association praying that it might have the right to affiliate with the Alliance of Labor. The committee commended that the petition be referred to the Government and that the evidence be attached to the report. '

Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) asked the Premier to give the House an assurance that* they would have an opportunity to bring the discussion to a conclusion irrespective of the time limit, as he proposed to move that the report be referred back to the committee for consideration.

Mr. Massey said he would be better able to indicate what could be done at 7.30.

Mr. Holland then proceeded to review the circumstances which led to the petition being presented. The ballot of members of the association was taken with the approval of the Postmaster - General, but when the ballot resulted In a majority of 2408 in favour of the affiliation the Government prohibited affination taking place. The Government’s action was similar to that of the German special laws of 1875, and was in contravention of the Versailles Treaty, which was signed by the Premier. Mr. Holland said that during the hearing the Postmaster-General admitted the association was within its legal rights in affiliating with the Alliance of Labor, and he asked Mr. H. E. Coombs (the secretary of the association), “Why don’t you go ahead and do it?” They did not go ahead because the Government forbid them doing it, with an implication that if they did so they would be dismissed. The Postmaster-General would not give an assurance to the committee that if affiliation took place the men would not be dismissed until the courts had decided the legality of their action. Dealing with the counter petition. he declared intimidation was used to induce juniors to sign it. He denied that affiliation would affect in any way the loyalty of the men to the department, and he wanted to know why the railwaymen should be allowed to affiliate when the P. and T. men were not allowed to do so. This was the first step to an attack upon the railwaymen, but if such a step was taken it would invite the antagonism of labor throughout the Dominion. He moved that the report be referred beck to the committee.

Sir John Luke (Wellington North) said there was just as much justification for the counter-petition as there was for the first petition. There must be a Government in the country, and no public department should be controlled by an outside authority. He denied that any improper pressure was brought to bear to get signatures to the counterpetition. For the Post and Telegraph Association to join up with the Alliance of Labor was not in the best interests of the country, for in time of stress and strike the control of the department would pass into the hands of the alliance, and no covering provisions could prevent it. The Government, and not an outside body, should control the Government of the country. Before the House rose at 5.30 p.m. the Premier announced that he did not propose to continue the discussion on resuming at 7.30, but he would give the House an opportunity to resume it tomorrow afternoon at the close of formal business.