RETURNS AND STATISTICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2122, 22 February 1908, Page 2

RETURNS AND STATISTICS.

DISCUSSION' IN' THE COUNCIL

At the Council meeting yesterday, in accordance with notice,- Cr. Kenway moved: '-That having in view the great increase in the work of the office, the officers of the Council are hereby prohibited from furnishing returns or statistics, except by instruction of the Council.'-'

Speaking to his motion, Cr. Kenway said that lately the officers had been called upon for a lot of work not exactly for the purposes of the Council. He did not wish the Clerk to refuse any information, but in regard to furnishing elaborate returns and statistics, it would be wise to prohibit them from doing this without the leave of the Council, in Council assembled. The right thing to do. when a return was wanted, was to move in that direction. When an engineer or clerk was called upon at short notice, he might have to rely on memory, and he would l>e blamed for any errors, and it would be better to act as he moved. . Cr. Sherratt seconded the motion Considering the amount of work coming on the Council, no Councillor should take up the time of the engineer or tlie clerk to a large extent. (. r. Kenway explained that no doubt an officer would supply anythin" in reason. ( r. Matthews thought the projvosal too drastic. Although it might have happened that an officer was overworked once, they should uot act in this way. He thought this proposal quite unnecessary, and he would oppose it. The Chairman said that there should be no necessity for a motion ol this nature, but apparently the kind-heartedness of the officers had h'd persons to mistake the circumstances. Authenticity was given to documents referred to. and it placed the officers in a false position, as the papers might be useless, and the time el the officials should not he wasted in this manner. It was the unwritten law and rule. (r, Alan news considered it a rctlootiou on the Council. Th.e Chairman : No, no. The Chairman said that he told t.ie clerk he was not acting quite rightly m preparing returns when his work was running back. Cr. Ken way said that this was an unwritten law. and he maintained tmu it had been abused, and grossly aims,hl. am! tt was Hard for them to rele.se to pred.ueo such returns, and s here was no reason whv it should net he made written law.' It was the duty ot the Council to relieve the officers as much as possible, and not to he hatnueappovl by doing too ttutels work.

IJ'.e u;otson was carried. Cr. Kenway explained that the ofhcers would always be prepared to give any mtormatmn. but it was quite another thing to get sheets of statistics l urn is hod at half an hour's l ho Chairman remarked that Ip Cv IKmso, no member could get « -v t'v'it without asking for it iluvper manner.