PAID SECRETARIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 105, 30 October 1940, Page 9

PAID SECRETARIES

PATRIOTIC APPEALS

CASE OF WANGANUI

POSITION EXPLAINED

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the 'Evening Post.")

WANGANUI, This Day.

Expressing the conviction that the success of patriotic appeals during the war, involving as they do much painstaking responsible work, will depend almost entirely on the employment of a paid secretary, the Wanganui City Patriotic Committee unanimously approved of a report made by the chairman, Mr. H. M. Keesing, in reply to remarks made by the Mayor of Palmerston North, Mr. A. E. Mansford, regarding the approval given by the Wellington Provincial Council to the appointment of a paid secretary in Wanganui.

Because of Mr. Mansford's remarks, Mr. J. P. Wells, secretary of the Wanganui City Patriotic Committee, has resigned. The committee has asked him to reconsider his position, and he has agreed to carry on the work temporarily as a member of the committee but not as secretary.

In the course of his report Mr. | Keesing states that the outstanding success at Wanganui has been due in no small measure to the organising ability of the secretary, Mr. Wells. Since Febjruary last, when the fighting services j appeal was launched, Mr. Wells has 'acted m a purely voluntary capacity and has incurred personal expenses for which he refused to accept reimbursement. After the completion of the Red Cross Appeal, when it became apparent that the secretarial work would entail a permanent full-time job, Mr. Wells requested the committee to find a new secretary. He stated that he could not afford to drop his own work altogether and devote the whole of his time to this work. He intimaced, however, that he would continue to assist. At the ananimous wish of the committee, Mr. Wells agreed to employ a man for his own private work and to accept the position of permanent secretary at £5 per week. The proposal to make the appointment was referred to the Wanganui Zone Patriotic Controlling Committee and was unanimously approved, and to the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council.

Dealing with Mr. Mansford's opposition, Mr. Keesing declares that the statement that even the provincial secretary in Wellington was doing such work "just for out-of-pocket expenses" was deceiving, as Mr. Mansford was aware that the provincial secretary had paid clerical assistance. In effect, the payment to Mr. Wells would not even reimburse him for his out-of-pocket expenses, including the employment of a man for his private work, and the use of his own car, etc. The question of payment of secretaries had received very careful consideration, as every effort was made to keep the administration expenses down to a minimum. In Wanganui ample voluntary assistance was available, but to make the most of that assistance a key man was necessary permanently on the job.