CITY COUNCIL EMPLOYEES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 70, 22 March 1912, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL EMPLOYEES.

A QUESTION OF HOLIDAYS. At the close of the City Council meeting last evening Councillor Fletcher asked the Acting-Mayor (Councillor John Smith) whether it was the fact that an employee of the council in the Botanical Gardens had* applied for leave of absence on account of ill health, had been granted it, and yet the leavo had been withheld by the superintendent? The man in question was an old servant of the council and had had three weeks' holiday in eight years. He was practically .chained in the gardens, said Councillor Fletcher, and worked from dawn to dark, in iact was on duty up to 10 at night. He wanted, leave for Easter week, so that he could take advantage of the excursion' fares, but his leave had been held over until after Easter. By what authority? The Acting-Mayor charged Councillor' Fletcher with exaggeration. The man was employed from 8 to 5 and alter that' he did no other work but 'keep an eye on the gardens. He was paid £3 a week and was given a house rent free. Councillor Fletcher denied that he was exaggerating. The matter was left; to, the Reserves Committee. Councillor Frost, chairman of the Reserves Committee, informed a Post Teporter to-day, with reference to this matter, that he was surprised that Councillor Fletcher had brought the matter up after he (Councillor Frost) had left the chamber, the business being praO' t'icaily concluded. It should have been raised early in the evening, when the Reserves Committee's report was brought up and adopted. ' The man in question had applied for leave from 4th April., by letter ; leave had been granted by the committee and in no way was it opposed by the superintendent or anyone eke. It was a meet serious thing and subversive of all discipline that the council's employees should go direct to councillors with their complaints. It was not fair to their principal officers and was bad for the service. If this kind of thing was to continue then the reserves and other departments ought to be managed by a board, as the tramways now were. Councillor Fletcher also wanted to know at last night's meeting why men who were receiving 8s 6d a day were denied a holiday on St. Patrick's Day, while those who were receiving 9s a day had one on full pay. He referred to employees in- the reserves' department. The Acting- Mayor said the men referred to were casuals and not entitled to holidays on full pay. The superintendent, in not giving them a holiday, was acting in accordance with the council's instructions. Councillor M'Laren urged that a report of the length of Bervice of the casuals should be furnished. The matter was further discuesed before being finally dropped.