REPORTS TO COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 102, 31 March 1925, Page 5

REPORTS TO COUNCIL.

PURCHASING CLERK’S WORK. An interesting discussion followed the presentation at the special meeting ot the Borough Council yesterday afternoon of a very lengthy and comprehensive report by the borough stock and purchasing clerk (Mr W. C. Collier) on an investigation of the iloan expenditure regarding heatherston Street West and generally in regard to borough works. In reply to a question the Mayor (Mr Nathan) said that he had given authority for the preparation of tho report. Cr. Eliott moved that the report be not received. He said that lie did not think that it was in the interests |of the council to have a man making reports on the different departments. It must, he said, bo most distasteful to the departmental heads and to Mr Collier himself. . The Mayor said that information from an expert costing clerk might be of great value to the borough. They could not very well ask the engineer Bo give the actual detailed cost of the gravel removed, for instance. Cr. Eliott disagreed. Continuing, tho Mayor said that Mr Hughes had no objection, though he agreed that Mr Collier could have gained some more valuablo information in pno case by going to Mr Hughes for it. He deprecated any attempt to turn down the report. Tho matter had been done quite openly and there had been no “Sherlock Holmes” business as suggested. Cr. Eliott said that other local lfodie3 did not do this sort of thing. The Mayor said that a like procedure was adopted in Wellington and that there was no reason why the services of the clerk should not be so used. He recognised that Mr Hughes was the superior officer in tho matter under discussion. Cr. Eliott said that Mr Collier should not bo asked to criticise the action of his superior officer. Mr Hughes said that, as a man and a human being, he had resented tho report asked for on the system of rubbish collection, for he had been absent at the time, and had protested to the town clerk and told' Mr Collier what he thought about tho matter. Prior to commencing tho report on Featherston street, Mr Collier had seen him and old him what he had been instructed to do. Mr Hughes said that it had been done already, but Mr Collier said that ho had been instructed to report in detail, and had done so. The speaker wiould have something to say about the report later. The report on prime costs 'Mr Collier hud read to Mr Hughes, who said that it was a pity that he had not been consulted in some respects for information, as he would “make it lcfok pretty silly.” Mr Hughes added that ho nad suggested to Mr Collier that the latter add a postscript to his report stating that lie had not secured some information, but that suggestion had not been adopted. The speaker had intonded to make a verbal reply to tho report, but the Mayor had stated that he wanted a written one. He did n|ot regard Mr Collier’s work as criticism, and if it proved of use he would thank Mr Collier for his report. Some of tho questions in tho report were merely a matter of opinion. He proceeded to explain some (of the salient differences between his own and Mr Collier’s reports. It was finally decided to hold over tho matter till next meeting of the council.