SALARY ANOMALIES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 241, 8 July 1931, Page 10

SALARY ANOMALIES

Wanganui City Council Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, July 7. A motion by Councillor Siddells. affect* ing the raising and reducing of certain staff salaries, came before the city council meeting to-night. Since Hie 10 per cent, cut has operated, the city council has been presented with certain puzzling anomalies concerning salaries of some of the members of the staff who were considered to be worth more than the salaries they received, but who were subject to the 10 per cent, cut applied to all the employees of the council, except those with special agreements. For the first time since the new council has sat, the public crowded the councilchambers, and twice had to be warned by the mayor, Mr. N. G. Armstrong, not to interrupt the debate, or show approval or disapproval of the speeches in any manner. The second time they were instructed that the hall would be cleared if a further disturbance occurred. Councillor Siddells’s motion was: “That the resolution passed on June 24. 1931, fixing salaries to be paid to Mr. W. J. Stone, gasworks manager, Mr. W. Mitchell, city accountant, Mr. V. C. Rapson, assistant city engineer, be rescinded, and that the salaries of these officers be again considered by the council." Councillor Siddells made it clear that he was not actuated by personal motives, but by principle. He contended that if Mr. Stone was worth a rise in salary on his qualifications, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Rapson were equally entitled to rises, but in his opinion, the present was no time for any increases in salary above £2OO a year, no' matter what the qualifications were of those involved. On a division being taken the motion was lost.