COUNTY ECONOMIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 259, 2 November 1931, Page 3

COUNTY ECONOMIES.

OTAMATEA STAFF SALARIES.

PROPOSAL FOR REDUCTION

CHAIRMAN DEFENDS POLICY. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) PAPAROA, this' day. Probably the largest meeting of ratepayers in the history of the district, and one which attracted residents from the adjacent ridings of Matakohe, Maungaturoto and Mareretu, was held on Saturday. The main business was consideration of county administration in Otamatea and present staff salaries. Mr. H. H. Sutherland presided.

The meeting followed on the recent deputation to the council in favour of reductions in salaries, which was not allowed to. state its case. There-was much straight talking by farmer ratepayers in protest against the salaries of higher-paid officials, the speakers maintaming that the county could not pay the present rates in view of the struggle settlers now had to make, and urging that if applications were called for the present positions it would be found that competent men were available to do the work at much lower salaries.

j The county chairman, Mr. Rodney I Coates, defended the council's policy of employing competent men for clerical and -engineering work, ' and said that in i former years the county had suffered seriously through inefficiency, and the council maintained that it was best to jkeep good men and pay them well.

Mr. Coates reviewed the good work done in the management of the county, and emphasised the improvement in road conditions.

On the motion of Mr. J. S. Davidson the meeting carried the following resolution: "That the council be urged to consider further the position of salaries, and that if officials do not offer to meet the situation, further reductions be made."

The county chairman brought forward the question of unemployment, and. urged settlers to take two or three each of the men offering under the scheme for farm development. He said Otamatea county could absorb 1000 men.