MUNICIPAL RETIRING ALLOWANCES.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11278, 20 May 1902, Page 6

MUNICIPAL RETIRING ALLOWANCES.

DISCUSSION* IN THE COUNCIL.

At the meeting of the City Council last night a letter was read from Mr G. G. Stead, stating that he would be happy if he could be of service to tin citizens in connection with the enquiry re the allowance to Messrs Haskins and Murray, and would attend any meeting of the Committee that might be called. He suggested, however, that it would be as well if Messrs Haskins and Murray signed an undertaking to abide by the decision of the commission, or their labours would be thrown away. He took it tbat the Council had agreed to do co or the resolution appointing the commission would not have been carried. Cr. Taylor moved—*\That the Council bind itself to carry out the recommendations of the commission, if Messw Haskiwt and Murray will do so."' Cr. Clark seconded the motion. He thought that unless tlii*, were done, the labours of the conference would be nugatory. Cr. Smith *aid that until the Council bad the report of the commission before them, they could not bind themselves as to whether they would carry out tho recommendations, whatever they might be. Cr. Morris suggested that Cr. Taylor should alter his motion so as to read that the Council would accept the recommendations of the commission if legally able to do so. Cr. Taylor agreed to this. He had framed hi* resolution on the information that the Council could get a Bill through Parliament, thus putting their legal position right. Cr. Simpson said he was in-this dilemma: that he had not heard a word of evidence on the subject. How, then, could he agree to the Council l>oing bound to abide by the report of the commission? He felt that they as mon of honour could weigh the recommendations of the commission impartially. But he did not see how they could blindly accept the finding of the commission without having considered the evidence for themselves. The resolution was then put and carried on a division:—Ayes: Tlie Mayor, Cr*. Samuels, Clark, Wood, Taylor, Macdonald, Morris. Payling, and- Loughnan. Noes: C'rs. Gray, J. T. Smith, and Simp Eon.