MAYOR’S HONORARIUM

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 22 April 1938, Page 9

MAYOR’S HONORARIUM

VOTE FOR INCREASE. COUNCIL’S DECISION. A resolution increasing the honorarium of the Mayor of Palmerston North by. £SO per annum was passed by. the City Council at its final meeting of the present electoral term, last evening, when Cr. It. L. C. Aitchison, one of the retiring councillors, proposed a motion to that effect. The resolution was carried despite a protest by the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford). Cr. Aitchison stated that he felt he would not be doing his duty before retiring from the council if he did not move that an increase be made in the honorarium of the Mayor. He felt that the present sum was quite inadequate to enable the Mayor to carry out satisfactorily the duties that devolved upon him. Two years ago the council had considered making a car allowance, and though the councillors were then favourable to the proposal, it had been pointed out that this could only be done in the dying hours of the council and on the eve of an incoming council. Cr. Aitchison moved that the honorarium of the Mayor be increased by £SO per annum. Cr. W. If. Cameron said it was with pleasure that he seconded the resolution, which he felt had the support of every councillor. The time and effort expended by Mr Mansford had been considerable on behalf of the ratepayers.

Cr. G. Tremaine, in according his support to the motion, said that of 559 council meetings held the Mayor had been present at 523, in addition to which he had attended numerous other functions. The meetings he had attended had represented only a small proportion of the time expended by him.

"As far as I personally am concerned I am not very keen about the motion. I think I opposed it last time,” said the Mayor. Mr Mansford added that the position would be difficult in that he was seeking re-election, and he would vote against the resolution. He would have liked to have attended all the meetings, but once a month these clashed with that of the Massey College Council, and at other times he had been called to Wellington in connection with matters of importance to ratepayers. "I would really prefer it not to be carried at this juncture, seeing I am seeking re-election. I think it could be held over,” added the Mayor in putting the resolution, which was carried with only his own vote cast against it. “I appreciate the spirit in which it was proposed, and I know it was with the best intention,” Mr Mansford added.

The honorarium of the Mayor is at present £4OO.