TO BE RETIRED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 137, 14 June 1927, Page 12

TO BE RETIRED

PETONE'S ENGINEER

DECISION OF COUNCIL

Last night, at the meeting of tho Petone Borough Council, the Town Clerk reported on l»,c question of tho retirement of the borough cn/,'inoer, Mr. -*. Cowio. Ho stated ttiat th>, council had the power to grant Mr. Cowio leave of absence for nine months on full pay, and that he could retire at the end of that term. Councillor Scholcfiuld moved Hint tho engagement of Mr. Ccv:ie as borough engineer be terminated on Ist July. 1028, and that hn be granted nine months' leavo of absence from Ist October, 1927. Ho said that he was performing a duty which, although painful to him, was what he owed to the ratepayers. He considered that tho council would be treating Mr. Cowic in a gentlemanly and honourablo way by giving him a retiring allowance. Councillor Longman asked on what grounds Mr. Cowie could bo dismissed, and if the council had ever had cause to reprimand him? In reply to tho Mayor, the Town Clerk said that, as far as he could rccolleet, the borough engineer had never been reprimanded by tho council. Councillor Cumming said that, whether Mrl Cowie came in undor tho superannuation scheme or not, his retirement would take place, and it was a question whether they should commit the ratepayers to an annual payment or not. Councillor Jacobson agreed that the engineer's retirement would take place, but he pointed out that when the Wellington t"ty Council started a superannuation scheme tho employees too old to participate were not harassed, because tho council had not commenced the scheme earlier. In reply to Councillor Longman, Councillor Seholcficld said that he had already given his views, and that he had nothing further to say. Councillor Scholcficld's motion was carried, Councillors Jncobsen, Pearson and Longman dissenting. ''