BOROUGH OFFICES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 62, 7 December 1926, Page 6

BOROUGH OFFICES

MANAGEMENT AND BANKING METHODS CONCLUSION OF INQUIRY MEMBERS OF STAFF CRITICISED Palmerston North, December 6. The inquiry conducted by the Borough Council into the system of office management and banking methods employed in tlie borough offices was concluded to-night, when some of the officers were criticised. Tlie DeputyMayor (Mr. A. J. Graham) occupied the chair. In answer to questions, Mr. R. H. Crozier (assistant town clerk) said that it was an exaggeration to say that he, visited the public oQice dozens of times daily. He had given instructions to the "cashiers tto bank money as soon as it was made up. He admitted, however, that as everything seemed to be working smoothly he had not taken steps to ascertain if the money was banked. He had found the clerks obedient and reliable, except Newson, whom lie had reported on one occasion for negotiating a cheque two days after he had been told not to do such a thing. In answer to Mr. H. J. Canton, Mr. Crozier said that Newson had been rather lax, and it was because of this that his duties had been minimised. Replying to Mr. R. Edwards, he said that in two years, visiting tlie main office an average of six times daily, he had 'never seen banking money in view on a shelf. Mr. J. A. McCleary asked why some provision was not made in tlie event ol large amounts being ready for banking, or why it was not made up at once. Mr. J. R. Hardie (towp clerk) replied that owing to the fact that people were continually coming into the office and paying in money banking could not always be effected at once. He said that this was the first time in his twenty five years’ connection with tlie council that any banking money had been missing. lie had always had every confidence in the system employed. It was the same as used in various banking institutions. System Reviewed. This concluded the evidence, whereupon the chairman proceeded to review the system of oitice management and method ot banking employed. lie said that it was a strange c ustom, alter having made up the banking with the assistance of Newson, to place the money on a desk as formerly on the assumption tjiat Newson would be responsible for its safety during btrauge’n lunch hour. “It is difficult to understand,” said* the chairman, "why Crozier, who was responsible tor the supervision of the office, failed at any time to see the money so placed. I can only conclude that he failed to exercise that strict supervision the town clerk expected of him." The chairman weut on to say that the council’s banker was of opinion that the system adopted by the town clerk was a good one, but he strongly recommended that the cashiers be placed in separate boxes and isolated. Bail the instructions of the town clerk been carried out in their entirety, money would not have been left on the <les». Since August Strange had been alone responsible for the money, and his duty clearly was either to bank it or put n in a safe plat*. "Newson utterly failed to grapple with the situation when he found an intruder behind the counter,' said Mr. Graham. "His attitude in not affording the town t-lerk any assistance in order to clear ,up the matter, to say nothing of his attitude since the affair, hia action in leaving the intruder while he casually went to tell Miss Sweeuey that a man was there, and to invite her to come and have a look, was extremely unsatisfactory. His dilatoriness in not immediately reporting that a stranger was there, and his failure to call out for assistance, calls for strong condemnation. Crozier's supervision of the office was not as thorough as it might to have been, otherwise he would have observed the practice of leaving the money on the desk.” Councillor M. A. Eliott moved: "That the council is of opinion that the system is quite satisfactory and difficult to improve upon as far as any dishonest person among the public is concerned, but cash should be counted and signed for by the responsible official who does the banking, and each cashier during bis absence should leave his cash, for which he is personally responsible, securely locked up and not in charge of some other employee.” Councillor J. Hodgens expressed the opinion that it had been grossly unfair to suspend Newson when there was no evidence that he was implicated in the affair. ~ . Councillor W, L. Fitzlierbert said that he felt that the inquiry which had been held had shown the public that the system used in the borough offices was as safe as a system could lie. Had the jury in the Court case seen the town clerk beforehand. the speaker was confident that they would not have added the rider they had framed. The motion was carried.