MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15257, 18 March 1910, Page 8

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

JP THE EDITOR.

Sir,—Was the proposal which Councillor Otley said he would bring before the Council really one to do away with ward representation, as the discussion of the question bv the St Albans Burgesses’ Association seems to indicate, or was it ono to do away with the present system of carrying out the work of the City Council under somo six or seven foremen, each with his own staff of workmen and each as independent of tho others as before tho amalgamation? I understood it was the latter. I think it would be a very good thing to do, and it ought to consider a bly reduce the cost of work, especially in the item of supervision. In tho Central Ward alone, where before the amalgamation thero was only ono man who never took off his coat, tho foreman, who had £3 per week and did all his own clerical work, there am now the head foreman at £4 10s per week, an assistant foreman at £3 per week, and a foreman’s clerk at £3 per week. At the same time tho work to ho done is really less than before the amalgamation, as the responsibility for tho disposal of tho city refuse is now with tho destructor management, which is entirely independent of the other works of the city, and has its own office, officers, foremen and staff. The gardeners’ work is also now done entirely independent of the Central yard foremen, while there are also now a storeman, a stableman and two or three yardmen, who, though under the foremen, really reduce their responsibility as they are responsible for many details which the one foreman had previously to seo to himself.—l am, etc .