COUNCILLORS’ EXPENSES

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3345, 13 May 1926, Page 3

COUNCILLORS’ EXPENSES

DIFFICULTY OP ASSESSMENT. When passing accounts a't yesterday’s meeting of the Oroua County Council .the item "Councillors' travelling expenses,’’ created a discussion, for the reason that the County treasurer was unable to fill in any definite amount. According to statute, councillors were entitled to travelling expenses at the rate of eightpenco per mile (both ways) and this fact was ascertained after the Council, at a previous meeting, had. agreed to pay at the rate of 10a for the first ten miles and 15s up to 15 miles. It appeared that some counties had charged up more than the statute provided and in consequence their balancesheets were "tagged" by the AuditorGeneral. The acting chairman (Cr. A. Campbell) expressed the opinion that councillors should be entitled to at least £1 a day for their services. Chairmen of local bodies were alone entitled to remuneration for their services, and the speaker considered that councillors were just as much entitled to a reasonable allowance as the chairman. Cr. O. McElroy suggested that the Council should submit a remit on »he question to the Counties’ Conference, with a view to having the statute amended. Cr. Campbell pointed out that councillors were entitled to claim travelling allowances for all summoned meetings (special or otherwise) of the Council, as well as lor any special duty which individual councillors might be appointed to undertake by resolution of the Council. The County treasurer was instructed to prepare councillors’ allowances or. the basis of 8d per mile plus 2s lid for luncheon.