POST AND TELEGRAPH CLASSIFICATION BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8876, 9 November 1907, Page 6

POST AND TELEGRAPH CLASSIFICATION BILL.

A NEW DEPARTURE. MEASURE BEFORE THE HOUSE. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Friday. The Premier, in moving the second reading of ' the Post and Telegraph Classification Bill in the House of Representatives, last night, explained that the classes had been reduced from 32 to 14, consequently promotion would be more rapid. Clause 5 provided for an efficiency test before passing from one class to another. Referring to offices which were under'junior postmasters, he explained that if an office grew rapidly the postmaster would have to give way to another officer with longer service when the office itself was raised to a higher class. Referring to the clerical division, he explained that officers would not be promoted to a class merely for the purpose of placing them there, but they would be promoted as the supervision of the service demanded. Referring to messengers, the Premier said that by entering the service at 16 years they would, at the end of twelve years, be receivnig £220 a year. The total amount involved under the changes was £7,000 for the first year and £3,700 yearly afterwards. The , proposals, he added, were made as a measure of justice to an important branch of the service, which deserved well of the public. Mr Massey fully endorsed the principle of the bill, and urged that if the State wished to attract the best men in the dominion it must see that its servants were paid in accordance with their responsibilities, and that reasonable promotion was forthcoming. If the'service was not satisfied they could hardly expect it to be efficient. 110 added that the bill, which was largely a technical one, should have been brought down earlier. Even now, though they were within a fortnight or ten days of the end of the session, he urged the Premier to refer it to a committee to go thoroughly into it. Mr Hanan, in supporting the bill, was pleased to see that ability was to be. recognised, as hitherto many positions had been given to men who had only length of service to recommend them. Mr Jennings introduced the subject of country post offices, which were carried on by storekeepers. He contended that the sum of £5, per annum was too little for the service rendered. Mr Hornsby regretted that the bill had not been brought down earlier, and 1 contended that it was not right to ask postmistresses in country towns to discharge duties for the miserable pittances they received. He added that if the country was able to grant concessions—such as sending four ounce letters for a penny—to the public, then it was up to us to increase the salaries of the lower ranks in the Postal and Telegraph Department. The Premier, replying to a suggestion by„Mr Massey, said an opportunity Already existed for a boy entering oh the lowest rung of the ladder to rise to the top. The second reading of the bill was agreed to on the voices.