AXE FALLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 155, 5 July 1933, Page 9

AXE FALLS.

OPOTIKI BOROUGH.

THREE STAFF DISMISSALS.

LOWER WAGES OFFERED.

(By 'Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

OPOTIKI, this day,

There was again a large attendance of the public at last night's special meeting of the Opotiki Borough Council, called for the purpose of reviewing the positions and salaries of borough employees and formulating a definite policy of road works.

Mr. A. J. Anderson said he considered the council was spending too much and would either have to raise rates or cut down expenses. The only way to do the latter was. to cut down wages. He moved that the clerk be instructed to tender his resignation and notify the termination of the engagement of all borough employees, excepting the office assistant, and that fresh applications for the position of clerk be called at a salary of £3 per week, plus £20 from annual license fees, also that applications be called for the position of foreman at £3 a week, and for ranger, who would also act as traffic inspector, at £2 a week. Mr. S. Patterson seconded the motion. Sir. F. Short said the motion was out of place and should come up after the council had dealt with the business for which the meeting had been called. He pointed out that some of the employees who were included in Mr. Anderson's motion were under award wages. These could not be lowered. Mr. Anderson: We can go ahead and find out afterwards. Mr. J. Main: You can't override an award. Mr. Short: It would be foolish to do certain things and then get blocked by an award. Mr. Shalfoon: I can't see what the award has got to do with the borough. The award can't compel the borough to keep men if we don't want them. Mr. Main: Mr. Shalfoon does not want permanent employees at all. Mention of Unemployed. Mr. Shalfoon said other men could do the work which was at present being done by permanent employees. Mr. Short warned councillors who were supporting the motion that unemployed would not be allowed to take the places of dismissed men. They would not be allowed to put off permanent workers with the intention of putting on unemployed. Mr. Shalfoon said that any man put on casual work would be paid award wages. The town clerk, Mr. Chas Fleming, said the council could not offer the posi-

tions at the salaries mentioned. Mr. Webb said that in the case of the council they could do without a foreman. Mr. ShaU'oon: We will call applications and see if anyone applies at the lower rates. The Mayor (Mr. G. Moody): You'll have to be careful what you do. Mr. Short said the norongli would not be allowed to do ■without a clerk for a

period. Mr. Main considered the request that the town clerk should tender his resignation cast a reflection on his work. There was something fishy about the pro-

posal. Mr. Anderson: I have no fault to find with the clerk. It is purely a matter of finance. Mr. Short said that instead of reviewing the positions a section of the council was trying to put over a notice of motion. They should review the positions and compare thorn with other boroughs. He warned them that if anything was done irregularly those councillors responsible would have to foot the bill and those recording votes against would be free. Mr. Shalfoon contended that the rates were so high that the borough would drift on the rocks eventually. The borough was having to confiscate land because people were unable to pay rates. Mr. Short denied this, and said that not one instance of confiscation was recorded. Mr. Main said if the rates were too high in Opotiki he didn't know how ratepayers got on in other boroughs, as Opotiki was one of the lowest rated boroughs in New Zealand.

Statement by Clerk. The clerk in reply to statements made, said the borough had not gone back during the last two years. The amount collected in that period was over 100 per cent. The position had improved and the outstanding rates amounted only to the average over a period of eight years. He also claimed that through his special efforts he had saved the borough large sums of money. He defied any councillor to say that the borough was not able to pay its outside staff the present rate of wages. Mr. Short pointed out that the total rate was only sixpence, and of this fourpence was a fixed amount for loans. He also stated that the clerks in the boroughs of Whakatane, Te Aroha, Waihi and Taumarumii were all paid much higher salaries than in Opotiki. He said that the position in Opotiki compared more than favourably with that of any other borough. Mr. Shalfoon: These boroughs have nothing to do with Opotiki. Mr. Anderson said this was the third time he had brought the motion up, and it was high time that it was put to the meeting. The Mayor: You were out of order before. •

The motion was then put.

Messrs. Anderson, Webb, Patterson, Shalfoon and J. Moody voted in favour.

The Mayor (Mr. G.'S. Moody), and Messrs. Short, and Main voted against.

The Mayor then stated that the responsibility for the action now rested on those who had carried the motion.