THE TOWN CLERK

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 45, 21 August 1926, Page 10

THE TOWN CLERK

WHY ENGLISHMEN DECLINED

RETIRING ALLOWANCE TOO LOW

APPLICATIONS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

In a statement to a "Post" reporter .'to-day, the Mayor, Mr. C. B. Norwood, made clear the chief difficulty which had faced the council in negotiating with applicants from ; the British Isles for the position of Town Clerk. That difficulty was that the limit fixed for retiring allowances of municipal officers iv New Zealand is £300 per annum, ,a sum considerably below retiring allowances in England and Scotland.

'/Negotiations with English and Scottish applicants for the position have now ended," said Mr. Norwood, "and the council is directing its attention towards Australian and New Zealand applicants.

■ "It is not surprising that the good men'who applied from the Home countrie» were disappointed when the superannuation conditions were, made known to them, and the experience of the council has been such as to indicate that it is almost impossible to secure the services of really capable men from England while tho limit of £300 per annum retiring allowance is in force.

"The case of Mr. Howard Eoberts, who declined the post of Town Clerk, ■well illustrates this point. If he -were to continue in his.- present position, without increase of salary, ho would be entitled to a retiring allowance, in due time,'from the Liverpool Corporation of; approximately £700 per year, but as , the opportunities for progress in Liverpool for a man of Mr. Roberta's ability .would lead him on to a salary of perhaps £2000 per annum, his retiring allowance would, under the English system,,amount to something in tho vicinity, of. £1200 a year. A 810 STUMBLING BLOCK. . "It is.therefore clear that' the city has been deprived of the services of a very highly trained and capable man through ( this limitation by Act of the retiring' allowance which may be paid to any municipal officer. There is.no reason why'an officer of Wellington City, wjien-tried and proved, should not rise tfr r a salary of £2000 per annum, but still there would be that limit as regards' superannuation. ENGINEER'S POSITION '.■■■■ DIFFERENT. "The position in regard to the ap-pointment-of Mr. G. A. Hart as City Engineer is quite on a different footing," continued. Mr. Norwood. "The question of the superannuation difficulty was^ raised by him in his application, and the matter -was settled on the understanding that he should not be compelled to. become a party to the scheme. Had he done so his payments, at his age (56), would have been very much more than he would have received at retirement.' COUNCIL CANNOT RUSH INTO -APPOINTMENT. "The ' council," concluded the Mayor,-"cannot afford to rush into an appointment, for this is a most important office . and delay which may occur in the making of further inquiries and investigations cannot in any sense be described as -wasted time. The council must be absolutely sure about this matter."