PUBLICITY FOR AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1927, Page 11

PUBLICITY FOR AUCKLAND.

PROPOSED CREATION OF COUNCIL OFFICE. ATTITUDE OF CITY FATHERS.; *LTE.E OSTRICH WITH READ IX j >AXD.' ! : Some time ago the Auckland Citvi Council passed a resolution favouring: the appoint men: of a publicity officer i and librarian for the municipal library, for the purpose of making himself familiar with tho policy of the council I in order that he might explain it to the ' public if necessary, and also that he | might issue booklets dealing with municipal projects and attractions. : The Finance Co'.r.mitiej of the couucil reported to last night's meeting of the City Council that, after having care-j fully considered the question of the I appoint men:, it was of the opinion that j the time was not opportune to make! mch an appointment, and recommended the rescission of the resolution to create euch a position.

Mr. L. A. Eady, in opr ■■■-n- the riv itommendation, contended that."the committee had exceeded its j'ouv.s. h< action was a slight on the eoiuioil. The council had approved of the prints ->Iv of the desirability of selecting ' some officer to attend to the iniormafive side of the council's activities, a≤ far back «s 1925. In 192U the Finance Committee •was given authority to appoint an officer for this purpose, but action was deferred pending tiie return of the town clerk from abroad for his impressions of the scheme. The latter recommended that the matter be given a trial in view of the_ success of the office in places he had visited, in 'ttie direction of supplying the public with fuller information on local body affairs. In 1927 the council were unanimously in favour of the position beiDg created. What was the position to-day? he asked, and considered the committee had absolutely dehided itself, and, ostrich-like, had put its head in the sand. Seldom before bad the council as a body been so inarticulate, and its policy '50 misunder•tood by the public. Since Sir James Guneon'a time the public had not been taken sufficiently into the council's confidence. All he asked was that the public fce provided with information in a wav that it could be understood by them. The principle of the appointment of the officer had been approved by the past two councils, and he took strong personal exception to the recommendation. He moved that the matter be referred back to the committee for further eon•iderstion, and the selection of a suitable applicant.

Mr. A. J. Stallworthy seconded the proposal on the ground" that the question was one of policy and not of principle. It had occurred to him that the citizens were not as conversant as thev ehonld be with the activities of the council. They were wretchedly weak in regard to the matter of publicity, and the appointment of the officer 'would improve the position.

Mr. J. A. C. Alluin denied that the committee had had its head in the sand. it had, however, had the courage to iring down an unpopular recommendation. It was realised that the office was going to cost more than £iOO for the salary of the officer, and therefore the committee considered the time was inopportune for the step to be taken. He foresaw many other unpopular recommendations in the future, and pointed ent that the council would have to grasp opportunities to economise. As for the matter of getting the goodwill of the citizens, that was to be gained by the councillors themselves by the wisdom of their decisions and actions.

Mr. J. B. Paterson observed that the fcxpenee of creating the office was not going to rest with the salary of the efficer. It was going to cost hundreds •f pounds in addition to that.

After farther discussion, the Mayor (Mr. George. Baildon) said the question liad received quite a lot of consideration l>y the committee, and it came to the conclusion that the appointment should to deferred in the meantime, at least. The recommendation had been brought flown with no idea cf slighting the coun«iL Although the appointment had been ■greed to by the council, it did not Necessarily follow that everyone was in favour of it.

The amendment wa? defeated, and the •Bcommendation carried.