ENGINEER’S PAY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 10212, 24 October 1929, Page 3

ENGINEER’S PAY

SALARY INCREASED TO £750 PUIS, A^DiUM DECISION BY BOHOUGH COUNCIL.. The Borough Council last i»igiu, of six volts to dc'Cidcu to iijiioaa; Hie salary ol the Ouyi. ■---, Air v_. w. uuuk, io *<au pci' unuu.u. ; 1 I lie matter was introoucvu oy ■ notice 01 motion by Lf ivoiy mat tne salary or tnv cngim -i, nil' Jioait, uc raised £ivo. —Ir . vui;,, ailer moving l•. ..■ n.oUO-, ' dam nc tiioiigat it oily right that nj snoiUd give notice 01 motio.) I of the proposed increase, jde like it to be understood that thu engineer had not as..ed lo* the I rise, but lie (Or ivory) had sp<.-ke:i Jco Mr iio.iK i:i regard io the matI ter. Mr Boak had applied lor a position olL'red by the iiuU V alley i'ow-er .board, wnieh was udv\rtised at a toutiii&uciug b.ilaiy oi jiiOoO, to be followed oy increases, tnere were sewnty-seven applicants for the position, and three were selected lor personal interviews, Mr Boak being one of them. That was a compliment to the r engineer. Ihe engineer to the South Canterbury Electric Power Board had received the appoint ment; The vacancy thus creat;.i would be advertised and if Mr Boak - applied for it, it was a lair assumption that he would gel: it, am; this Council would lose him. He

had formed a high opinion of Mr | Boak's ability, both from the technical and business points of view. If the increase of £IOO were granted the salary would be increased to £750 per anuum. He had spoken to Mr Boak, who intimated that if he were placed on the £750 mark nothing under £IOOO would tempt him. He quoted various clauses from the conditions of Mr Boak's engagement and stated that the house wiring department had been an additional duty placed upon the engineer. His salary as electrical engineer was £550, with another £IOO for the other duties associated with roading, drainage, and the water scheme. At the time of Mr Boak's appointment the Main Highways Board and the Local Government Loans Board were not existen£, and. Mr Boak now had to prepare detailed plans of all works for submission to those Boards. The Council's average loan expenditure during the last four years was £BOOO per annum and if they had had to employ a consulting engineer the payment to him would have been £4OO per annum. About five years ago the Council called in a firm of consulting engineers in connection with a roading scheme, and had to pay them over £4OO, although the work was not proceeded with by the Council. Mr Boak was a highly qualified electrical engineer, and on the business side he had been particularly valuable to the Council. He referred to a certain contract made with the Public Works Department for the supply of electric current, and said as a result of Mr Boak's business acumen the Council had benefited to the amount of £3280 in regard to the price that had been fixed for "excess units," and this price might mean a further £3OOO to the Council, who would continue to revise electricity contracts. Mr Boak's high qualifiations and acute business sense-make him a valuable officer. His duties had been increased by the preparation of plans and estimates for the Local Government Loans Board and Main Highways Board. On the loan works which the Council had carried out during the past four years he had saved them £4OO per annum. Rather than take the risk of losing Mr Boak he moved that his salary be increased by £IOO per annum. Cr Whiting seconded. He said the more lie came in contact with Mr Boak the more Ik admired his shrewdness and business ability. Prior to Mr Boak taking charge of the streets certain estimates were considerably out. If the motion were carried he did not think Mr Boak would be overpaid. -- Cr Daines rose to a point oi order, and quoted from the Standing Orders, that notices of motion shall be in writing signed by I'.ic mover, stating the day propositi for bringing on such motion, a...

must be delivered to the- Towi* Clerk not later than noon on the third day prior to any ordinary meeting of the Council. —Cr Dailies said the meeting was a special one and he contended that the standing orders must he adhered ter. The Mayor said he had not referred to the Standing Orders. The notice of the meeting set out that the notice of motion was to be considered, .and be* itiled that the notice of motion was in order. Cr Newsham said he would like to voice his approval of Mr Boak’s services. He was a'good man and a cheap man, and had done excellent work. From an electrical point of view he was one of the best men in New Zealand. He would vote for the motion.

The Mayor said he could not support the motion. No one appreciated Mr Boak’s abilities better than he did. He took it that £650 was as much as the position was worth and as much as the borough could afford to pay. The point had been stressed that if they dii not give the increase they might lose Mr Boak —who is a good officer —but in his (the Mayor's) experience in public life he bad found that on all such occasions they had been able to find a good man to fill the position. The agreement with Mr Boak provided that he was to receive an additional £IOO per annum in consideration of taking charge of the streets and other public works. He would he sorry if they lost Mr Boak, but no one could’ blame him if he accepted I another position. He regarded the positon as well paid at £650. Cr Daines moved an amendment —That the matter be deferred till the next ordinary meeting of the Councj!. Cr Allelv seconded.

Cr Ivory said he could not see anything in deferring the question, and thought councillors should be able to make up their minds that night. 1 The Mayor thought as notice of motion was given they ‘ should be able to reach a decision.

Cr Allely pointed out that it was now 10.20 p.m., and one councillor (Mr McKenzie) was absent. He urged that there should be a full meeting. The engineer had not asked for the rise. Mr- Boak

was a good man and they did not want to lose him, but they would lose him when higher salaries were offering. They were told that they could not replace Mr Mandeno. He was against the motion. He could not bring himself as a trustee of the ratepayers to support it. There was no need .to hurry the question. Cr Whiting said he saw no reason to defer the matter. The amendment was negatived on the voices. Cr Ivory, in replying, said he respected the opinion of the opposition. Regarding the claim that the v position was worth only £650, he said this was a small borough, but it possessed two electricity installations. Considering the profits of the electricity department he contended they could afford to pay more, especially when they have an engineer who had made additional money. There were only three boroughs in New Zealand where an engineer filled the dual position of electrical engineer' and that of drainage and streets. Mr Boak had not asked for a rise, but tha' was no' reason why he should not be given an increase. Cr Daines asked Cr Ivory: If the engineer gets this increase will he be prepared to stay with us for five years? Cr Ivory: I would not like to include that in the motion. Cr Ivory's motion was then put and carried by six votes to three. • Cr Allely called for a division, which disclosed the voting: Ayes: Crs Ivory, Whiting, Law, Newsham, Tanner and Stuart. Noes: The Mayor, and Crs Allely and Daines. Cr Ivory asked that the rise in salary take effect' "as from November 1. —This was agreed to.