THE POST OF TOWN CLERK

Evening Star, Issue 14527, 1 December 1910, Page 8

THE POST OF TOWN CLERK

£6OO A YEAR DECIDED ON. THE VALLEY'S ACTION. The first real discussion in the City Council last night enmo with the recommendation of the Finance Committee that -applications bo invited by advertisement in the daily Press in the chief centres of the Dominion for the post of town clerk with a salary of £6OO, applications to close on January 11, 1911, and the successful applicant to assume duty on March 1, 1911." Although this wiw the recommendation of the Committee, ii, was opposed to the views of the chairman (Cr Barr), and in fact it was left to Cr Burnett, not a member of the Committee, to move its adoption. . , L'r Taplev seconded. Tie said inat, as in the case" of the present clerk, a really elficient man was worth more than £6OO. But he supported the recommendation for the reason that he thought it better to start a new- man on a minimum salary, so that if he were worthy there might he an increase for him. Cr Douglas attempted to move as an amendment, a notice of motion appearing in his r.anie, asking not only that the Finance Coirmitteo consider the advisability of combining the offices of town clerk and citv solicitor or town clerk and city treasurer" bufals.i that tliey report on law costs, etc. The Mayo-.- 1 cannot receive it. It is out of order. Cr Domjlas • That may he so. but The Mayor: Now, Cr Douglas, I am here to do" what is right; you are on the wrorur track. Cr "Douglas: I am here also to do what is right. The Mayor: You have to obey your chairman. Cr Douglas : Tt is my intention to move that your"ruling be disagreed with. The Mayor:"The mayor will not take that. He' did once.—(Laughter.) Cr Gilkison rose. "1 want to speak to a point of order." The Mayor: Js it a new point of order? Cr Gilkison: It is this point of order. The Mayor: 1 have ruled against it. Cr Gilkison ■ 1 take it that the Council have the right to discuss it, lam not going to be put down by any ilanior.— (Hear, hear.) The Mayor: I am not going to have it. 1 will close the meeting, sooner. t'r Gilkison : Well, I am going to speak until the meeting is closed. The Mayor appealed to the Council for support, but Cr Douglas asked would he accept an amendment covering merely the lirst clause—the advisability of combining the olliecs of town clerk ami city solicitor, or town clerk and city ueasurer. The Mayor accepted this, and the councillor moved it. Ho remarked that he had nothing to say against the city treasurer, but he was not satisfied that the responsibility of the work of the two otlices could not be carried on efficiently and satisfactorily by one good man as town clerk and treasurer. He was satisfied, moreover, that there would bo sufficient argument, in the return of the- law costs to justify the Council in instructing the Committee to consider the advisability of combining the offices of city solicitor and town cleik. Whenever Mr Richards had given an opinion, the opinion obtained from the city solicitors had been practically a reproduction of the town clerk's rejiort. Cr Keast seconded, so that the Council might have a discussion on it. Cr Tapper said his opinion was that the combining of the two positions—city solicitor and town clerk—would be a great mistake. The chances were that they might get a good solicitor but a poor town clerk. Jf they were going to apply for a, good man, whv not tell him at once that they were willing to give him £BOO. Cr Marlow: If we tire going to pay £BOO, we should advertise for a man at that salary. - Cr Barr intimated that he intended moving later that the motion be altered to substitute £BCO for £6OO. Cr Shaddock 6aid that if the offices of town clerk and city treasurer were, not amalgamated, he thought that the offices of town clerk and city solicitor ;?i,ot>H be amalgamated. Ho thought, at any rate, ti.at they ought to make it obligatory on the town clerk's assistant to qualify for a solicitor. Cr Douglas had men-ion ;d that they had heard nothing of the reorganisation of the "downstairs" staff. That had been delayed waiting the amalgamation of North-east Valley. Members of the Finance Committee knew that they were overstaffed downstairs. Cr Gilkison said that a town clerk could not leave his office to attend court. Even if he. were a solicitor he would have to iii-lnict counsel to appear in all the big fast's. It would be an advantageous thing if the town clerk was an expert on accounts. That was a consummation lie thought the Finance Committee should look for. Cr Barr said that no assurance was given to the Council that all sorts of reorganisation would tako plate "downstairs." He thought it would be a mistake to appoint a city solicitor and town clerk in one. They would not get a solicitor .holding any position at all to accept the position of town clerk at a salary of, •say, £6OO a year. It might be feasible, to gel a city solicitor as deputy town clerk. It was also a feasible suggestion to combine the offices of town clerk and city treasurer, hut tho gentleman at present holding the latter position had not had a lengthy municipal experience. They wanted to apiwint the best man they couil get in the Dominion as town clerk. Cr Rhodes ventured to say that there were not more than eight solicitors in Dunedin earning over £BOO a year, after deducting out-of-pocket expenses. Cr Wilson could not see his way to support tho combining tho offices of town clerk and city solicitor. The amendment was lost hv 16 votes to Iter -Sullivan, in place of Cr Barr, then moved as a. further amendment that applications be called for the position of town clerk at- a salary of £BOO a year. He eaid that if the position was worth £6OO a year when he camo into the Council four years ago, then ho considered it was ■worth a. great doal more now. with the undertakings they had in hand. Cr Stewart seconded, and said that itwould be a profoiuid blunder to offer £6OO. Cr Keast : 'ls £BOO to bo the- maximum amount? Cr Sullivan: Xo. Cr Keast : Then wo shall have a. repetition of what we had some littlo thno ago. The Mayor : This Council cannot bind any other Council. Cr Keast said that certain councillors tome time ago had been advocating fixing a maximum amount for the salaries to bo paid their officers, and now was tho time to take that into consideration. Cr White supported the amendment. They wanted a man to fill the position as well, or nearly as well, as their present town clerk. Cr Marlow held tliat it was correct to fix a maximum salary for every post in the corporation, and they should advertisethis at £BOO a year. Cr Barr said that not a member of the Financo Committee had been plucky enough, or at least quick enough, to move this £6OO recommendation of theirs; they had left it for Cr Burnett. Ho was quite satisfied that £BOO was the least 6um that should be advertised as the salary of general manager of tho biggest trading concern in New Zealand, barring the Union Steam Ship Company. Cr Douglas" supported the Finance Committeee's £6OO recommendation. In spite of Cr Earr's remarks he was going to presume that the Financo Committee had considered the matter, and a majority had come to a decision upon it. The amendment was lest, the voting being :—Against: The Mayor, Crs Keast, Wilson (2), Rutherford, Todd, Shaddock, Fiddis, Douglas, Burnett, Tapley, Fea, M'Gregor, Frame, Thompson, Begg, and Bolting. For : Crs Stewart, Sullivan, Barr, M'Pherson, White, Clark, Marlow, and Gilkison. Cr Barr commented upon tho Valley members all voting on this, a eruestion of policy. He asked, had it not been understood that in euch cases only three votes would be.e^erused.—(Hear, hear.}