ONE DISSENTIENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 219, 16 September 1935, Page 8

ONE DISSENTIENT.

MR. SAYEGH OBJECTS.

ViIEWS OF MEMBERS

Mr. Mason, in moving the adoption of the report, said that it spoke for itself and that it was unnecessary for him to enlarge upon it.

Objections to the fact that the report had been amended only half an hour before being adopted wafi made by Mr. J. Sayeg'h, who said that he had disagreed with it in certain aspects. He did not think that the report was to have been taken in open board to-day, or he would have had a minority report prepared. He wanted hie dissent recorded, especially on the points which referred to administration costs, the traffic roster, commission on tickets and motor car expenditure.

Mr. E. J. Phelan said it should be clearly understood that the report had been in the hands of members of the board for over a week.

"While the report has been amended, the board has received it favourably and the amendments arc so slight that they are scarcely worth considering," said Mr. W. T. Anderton. "I am surprised and a little alarmed that one member should sit in preparation of the report and then take exception to some of the points in it and take the board

to task for bringing it up in open board. The report of the committee was unanimous."

Every point in the report had been fully and faithfully reviewed, and the report was unanimous, said Mr. W. H. Nagle.

Committee Unanimous. Mr. F. E. Lark also made it clear that the committee had been unanimous and ho did not want the public to think that they had arrived at their findings without careful consideration of the whole position. The report was a true finding of the committee's deliberations. He was afraid that a wrong impression might go out to the public.

"The report reflects credit on those responsible for it," said Mr. Phelan. "The position nas "been put clearly and concisely."

Satisfaction with the report was expressed by Mr. W. J. Jordan, who referred in passing to tho amount of exchange paid by tho board on loans domiciled in London. If it were not for the thousands that were paid in exchange, the board, he contended, would be able to give cheaper tram fares in Auckland.

Mr. Mason explained that the exchange problem had not been discussed in detail by the committee for the reason that another committee had been set up to inquire into exchange.

In reply to Mr. Sayegh, Mr. Mason declared that nothing had been said to give the impression that a member could present a minority report. Under the standing orders, only one report was possible. It was unsatisfactory to the board that Mr. Sayegh should challenge the report under several headings, but not explain what his objections were.

Vital to Efficiency. "It has been asserted that one officer might do the work now done by the traffic manager and tho roster clerk, and that the services of the traffic manager might be dispensed with accordingly," said Mr. Mason. "Although this statement has been much agitated it is noteworthy that it is baeed on no evidence or reasoning that has been presented to the board. The work of the traffic manager and his assistant, for that is what the roster clerk really is, is so vital to the efficiency of the service and hats greatly improved it, that a grave responsibility would rest on the board if it did anything which might endanger the control which those officers exercise.

"I am speaking not only for myself but also for the great majority of the board when I say that the board will do nothing to weaken or diminish that control which is vital to the efficiency of the service and the satisfaction which it hopes to give to the public and the board's staff. The present officer* have established a high .standard, and it is duo to all the board's employees as well as the public, to say that the board will etrongly sustain officers who arc discharging their duties faithfully and well."