PAID CHAIRMAN

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1930, Page 14

PAID CHAIRMAN

HUTT POWER BOARD

ME. WINDLBY ELECTED

The business of fixing tlio chairman's remuneration and then of electing a chairman provoked much discussion at the annual meeting of the Hutt- Valley Electric Power Board yesterday. The retiring chairman (Mr. A. W. Press) having vacated the chair, Mr. E. P. Hollands, engineer-general manager, presided. There were present: Messrs. J. W. M'Bwan, W. H. P. Barber, A. Walker, L. Stewart, E. Windier A. Anderson, A. J. Hobbs, and A. J. M' Curdy. '• Mr. Hobbs moved that tho remuneration of the chairman for tho coming year bo the same'as for last year, £200. Mr. Barber seconded the motion. Mr. Press moved, as an amendment, that the remuneration bo reduced to £100. It had been put to him that now that Mr. Hollands was in charge the chairmanship was a sinecure. If such were tho" case the remuneration should.'bo commensurate with-the services' rendered. Mr. Walker seconded the amendment. Mr. Anderson said that he was taken aback by Mr. Press's proposal and would certainly vote against it. He considered it unbecoming to offer a reduction to the next chairman. To make his position clear he said that he was not a candidcito for the position. Mr. Barber supported Mr. Hobbs's motion. Ho thought that tlie dignity and responsibility devolving upon the office of chairman were worth £200. With this Mr. Stewart agreed. Although the board entrusted the greater part of its work to Mr. Hollands, it expected the chairman to help, and lie did not think £200 was excesivo for the work tho chairman was expected to do. Mr. Hobbs said that Mr. Press was hardly consistent with his previously expressed* opinions. Once beforo Mr. Press had ;moved that members receive £2 2s a meeting instead of. £.1 Is —a motion which had not becu carried. Also Mr. Press had. favoured tho increasing of ' the chairman's remuneration from £150,t0 £200. It .would"have been better if Mr. Press had given notice of his intention to: move for a reduction. From his own experience Mr. Hobbs could say that the chairman was not overpaid at £200. . Mr. M'Curdy took''it.that Mr..Press would withdraw his amendment, which' he thought was. moved merely to give a chance for discussion.! ', Mr. Windley's opinion was that in past years the chairman had well earned the. remuneration: he had received. From his own.: experience as chair-i man, Mr. M'Ewan said he favoured the payment of £200 per annum. ■■. ■ ■Mr. Press said that. Mr. M'Curdy was fairly good at divining one's thoughts, for he had well expressed his (Mr. Press's) views. Speaking of past services ho did consider that the amount of the- chairman's remuneration had been saved to the board, and that ttfe chairman , had, probably been underpaid. With the permission of his seconder he would withdraw his amendment.' .Mr..- Walker, agreed and.,the amendment was withdrawn; Mr. Hobbs's motion, that the remuneration bo £200, was carried without dissent. ■ ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. The board proceeded to elect a chairman. Mr. Hobbs proposed Mr. E. Windley. In seconding the nomination Mr. Barber said that the election of Mr. Windley would be carrying outthe policy of the board that, the position should go round.. . Mr.. M' Curdy, iii proposing ,th o reelection of Mr. A. W. Press, denied that the board had any such policy of rotation. Tho matter had' been mentioned, but no motion had been passed, and ho had always denied the existence of the policy. The work of the board in the past 12 months had been of a difficult nature, the bad state of affairss having necessitated the drastic action of dismissing three of the officers. When Mr. Press was, first elected the board had wanted his commercial experience to commercialise the office.- He should bo re-elected to allow him to complete the work he had done so successfully up to the present. , Mr. Walker seconded the nomination. He- thought that by re-electing Mr. Press the board would not only be doing a graceful action, but would also be looking well after its .own interests^ No ot*hor nominations were received and a ballot was then taken. Mr. Windley was elected by 5 votes to 4. He was congratulated by all tho members, and by Mr. Hollands, and suitably replied. The board also decided to place on record its appreciation of tho very valuable services rendered by Mr. Press during his term of ofliee.