INCREASE TO MAYOR

Evening Star, Issue 22030, 16 May 1935, Page 2

INCREASE TO MAYOR

HONORARIUM FIXED AT £SOO STANDING COMMITTEES APPOINTED GR F. W. JONES DEPUTY-MAYOR The appointment of standing committees and of a deputy-mayor and the fixing of the mayor’s honorarium were the matters to engage the attention of the newly-elected City Council at its first meeting last evening. The mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox) presided, and all members of the council, excepting Cr Shepherd, were present. MAYOR’S RECOMMENDATIONS. The mayor explained the purpose of the meeting, which he said was held to receive his nominations for the standing committees of the council. He recommended that the committees be constituted as follows; — Works. —Crs Munro (chairman), Begg, Cameron, Neilson, Shepherd, and Silverstone. Water.—Crs Begg (chairman), Munro, Cameron, Neilson, Shepherd, and Silverstone. Electric Power and Lighting.—Crs M'Millan (chairman), Jones, Scott, Allen, Batchelor, and Mitchell. Tramways.—Crs Jones (chairman), M'Millan, Scott, Allen. Batchelor, and Mitchell.

Gas. —Crs Scott (chairman), M'Millan, Jones. Allen, Batchelor, and Mitchell. General. —Crs Allen (chairman), Batchelor, Neilson. Cameron. Mitchell, and Munro. Reserves.—Crs Batchelor (chairman), Allen, Neilson. Cameron. Mitchell, and Munro. _ ... Library.—Crs Neilson (chairman), Allen, Batchelor. Cameron, Mitchell, and Munro. Finance. —Crs Silverstone (chairman), Begg, Jones, M'Millan, Munro, and Scott. Civic. —The mayor, Crs Allen, Jones, M'Millan, and Shepherd. Representatives on the Drainage Board.—The mayor, Crs Silverstone, Begg, Munro, Jones, M'Millan, Scott, Cameron, Neilson, and Shepherd. The mayor moved that the council approve of his recommendations. Cr Jones seconded the motion. Cr Scott said he did not see Cr Mitchell’s name recommended for a chairmanship. In the case of a man with as long a service as Mr Mitchell it seemed to the speaker that it was fitting he should be given a responsible position. Cr Mitchell: I am quite satisfied to work where you put me. Cr Allen drew attention to the tact that Crs Munro and Jones, who were away at Parliament for a considerable portion of the yoar, and Cr M Millan, who, he understood, was aspiring to political honours, were members of the Finance Committee. It was obvious that, if those three went to Parliament, the committee would be Jett rather weak. . The Mayor: I have taken that into consideration. , . ~ Cr Scott: Have you thought of tlie Mayor; What is the usual quorum? , Cr Scott: Four. ’ . . ' i The motion was earned. TIMES OF MEETING. The mayor said it would be necessary for the council to arrange for the meetings of committees. Ho suggested that they meet as in the past tor the next fortnight. At the next meeting of the council he purposed moving that the night of the fortnightly meeting of the council be changed, and after _ that proposal was carried they could re* arrange the days of committee meetlDf)r Scott asked on what night it was proposed to hold the council meeting. Tne mayor said he purposed putting in a notice of motion to change the ui-ght of the meeting of the council from Wednesday to Monday. He moved that in the meantime the committees meet as usual. Cr Silverstone. seconded the motion. The motion was carried. DEPUTY-MAYOR APPOINTED. The appointment of a deputy-mayor was next considered. The mayor said it had been the practice of the council, though the last council did not do so, of appointing as deputy-mayor the candidate for the council who received the highest number of votes. Whether it had been the invariable practice till the last council met he did not know, but he moved that the deputy-mayor be Cr Jones, who received the highest number of votes. Cr Munro seconded the motion. Cr Mitchell said he had not the slightest objection _to the suggestion, but he would point out that the deputy-mayor’s, position required someone who was here when the mayor was absent. How could Cr Jones bo available when he was sitting in Parliament ? The mayor': I think that will be easily arranged. If Cr Jones is away another deputy-mayor will be appointed pro tern. The motion was carried. Cr Jones thanked the council for appointing him deputy-mayor. He said he was following in the footsteps of Cr J. J. Marlow, who had served the mayor faithfully and well during the past two years. Ho recognised the responsibility of the position, and would do what he could to assist the mayor in carrying out his duties. MAYOR’S, HONORARIUM. The mayor having retired from the meeting, the council proceeded to fix His Worship’s honorarium for the ensuing term, Cr Jones, who took the chair, said it was necessary first to decide whether the subject should bo discussed in committee or in open council. He moved that the matter be dealt with in open council. Cr Begg moved, as an amendment, that the matter be taken in committee. It had been customary, he said, for matters of finance, especially those of a personal nature, to be taken in committee. The amendment was defeated, and Cr Jones’s motion was carried. Cr Jones moved that the mayor’s honorarium be fixed at £SOO a year, and that it should not be subject to any cuts. In another local public body it had been decided that the chairman’s honorarium should not be subject to any cuts. The honorarium was not regarded as a salary, but was rather for out-of-pocket expenses. That principle had been recognised by another public body during the past two years, that body having made no reductions in the chairman’s honorarium. Cr Silverstone seconded the motion. Cr Begg said it was scarcely correct to say that the other public body made no deductions during the past two years. Mr Jones said there was a voluntary

reduction by that chairman for 12 months. Cr Begg: That is different from two years. There was a voluntary reduction for one year and a compulsory reduction for one year. The motion was carried.