MUNICIPAL RETRENCHMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9141, 24 August 1888, Page 6

MUNICIPAL RETRENCHMENT.

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY

COUNCIL, .y

IMPORTANT REDUCTIONS.

A special meeting of the City Council was held yesterday evening, to consider the

recommendations of the Finance Committer on the question of municipal retrenchment, as submitted at last ordinary meeting of the Council The Mayor (Mr. Devore) presided, and Mssrs. Trenwith, Davies, James, Holland, Grey, Lennox, Crowther, Atkin, Dignan, Buchanan, Swales,, Cooper, Evans, Phillipps, Hewson, Garratfe, and Patterson were present.

The Mayor said it was desirable that the meeting should go into committee in order to fully consider the matter. This did not exclude the press. Before the meeting went into committee, Mr. Atkin presented the petition which had been circulated by the Auckland Rate - payers' Association, and signed by several hundred ratepayers. He did not know whether His Worship would consider it regular, but the fact that it came from the ratepayers should be considered. The Mayor : It rests with the Council.

Mr. Atkin moved, " That the petition be received." >

Mr. Cooper seconded the motion.

Mr. Phillipps pointed out that if this was a special meeting, the Council could not consider any other business but that which it was called together to consider, and he wished that the petition could be presented. The Mayor remarked that even if it was a special meeting, the petition concerned the business which they nad in view. • The petition was received, and the Council then went into committee.

The Committee's report was considered seriatim.

Clause 1, Waterworks Department: That the waterworks superintending engineer's services be dispensed with after the current year, and that the services now performed by that engineer be thereafter performed by the city engineer's department.

Mr. Evans (chairman of the Finance Committee) moved the adoption of this clause, though he did so with great reluctance. Personally he was not an advocate for reduction of salaries, especially in the case of efficient officers.

Mr. Trenwith seconded the motion,

Mr. Philips, Town Clerk, read a letter just received from Mr. W. Errington, waterworks superintending engineer. His duties in reference to the waterworks de par'omen t were conducted in his own office, and it would hardly be expected that the City Treasurer would define his duties. His office was always open to ratepayers, and he sent a messenger at his own expense in municipal work whenever it was necessary. Mr. Errington went on to detail his duties, and concluded by stating that he had done his best in the interests of the Council.

Mr. F. Phillipps regretted the necessity for reduction. The Council should be congratulated upon the fact that notwithstanding the municipal retrenchment of two years ago, the officers of the Council were now just as zealous as before that time. In trying to bring their expenditure within their income, there were other ways besides that of reducing salaries. He believed that the leasing of the Baths would be an advantage, because, in his opinion, the Council had been spending too much money in what were luxuries. Mr. Phillipps went on to speak of clause 4, when

Mr. Evans rose to a point of order, and submitted that the first clause only was before the meeting. Some discussion ensued, and eventually clause 1 was unanimously adopted. Clause 2, waterworks day labour : The expenses of the waterworks department have decreased by the sum of £218 annually, owing to the death of a man whose place has not been filled, and a second man whose services have been dispensed with. Owing to the increased work entailed by the erection of the Ponsonby Mo. 2 reservoir and Mount Eden reservoir upon the remaining emj ' iyes in this department, your committee cannot at present recommend any further retrenchments or alterations.

Mr. Evans moved the adoption of the clause.

In reply to Mr. Growth the Mayor said there were eleven day labourers in the waterworks department, the total wages for the fortnight being £51 17s. Mr. Garratt was not quite satisfied with this clause, as he did not think the saving would be so great as they claimed. He moved, " That the services of the fireman at the Ponsonby reservoir be dispensed with." Mr. Buchanan seconded the amendment.

Mr. Phillipps thought that the wages of those day labourers who were receiving over 6a per day should be reduced just as well as the salaries of those who were geting £150 a year. Many of the ratepayers who were paying the rates had no work to do at all.

Mr. Growth kr suggested that the consideration of clause 2 be deferred until the Council were considering matters in connection with the pumping station at the Western Springs. He thought the staff at the pumping station was too large, and he was at a loss to know what the men were doing, seeing that nearly all the streets were now supplied with mains, and the house services complete. The Mayor said that Mr. Carlaw had reported that he could nob do the work with a less number of men.

Mr. Crowthkr said that a number of the men were cleaning out the ponds, and he did not think that they could afford to pay men 7s 6d a day on the chance of there being something to do. (Hear, hear.) He did not fall in with the idea of underpaying labour—(hear, hear) —but he was credibly informed that carpenters at the Napierstreet school, and at St. Mary's Church, Parnell, »were receiving 6s per day, and yet the Council were paying 9s a day to a carpenter. The Mayor pointed out that the committee had recommended that the carpenter's wages be 7s a day. Mr. Crowther suggested that instead of dispensing with the fireman at the Ponsonby reservoir, the Council remove one of the men at the Western Springs. Mr. Patterson did not see why the day labourers of the waterworks department should not suffer a reduction of salary. Mr. Holland opposed Mr, Garratt's amendment, as he thought the dispensing of the services of the fireman at the Pon-. son by reservoir would be penny wise and; pound foolish. ' Messrs. Atkin and Evans also opposed the amendment.

Mr. Cooper thought that they could not only dispense with one of the men at the reservoir, but also with one of the men at the Springs. In these times, when money was much more difficult to oarn than it was a few years ago, it would not, he thought, be hard upon Mr. Carlaw to ask him to do a little more work.

Mr. Davies thought two men would be sufficient at the Ponsonby reservoir. Messrs. Lennox and James supported the amendment.

Mr. Buchanan said as he now understood that the engineer had to attend to the pumping valves, he would certainly vote against the amendment. Several councillors spoke of the danger of the engine being left unattended, as would be the case if the fireman's services were dispensed with. The amendment was carried.

Mr. Davies moved, " That the services of two firemen be dispensed with at the Western Springs!" The general opiniou was that this would be too great a reduction. Mr. Davies withdrew his motion, and Mr. Crowther moved, " That the services of one fireman be dispensed with at the Western Springs, the engineer to decide who should be dismissed."

Mr. Patterson seconded the amendment.

In answer to Mr. Cooper, the Mayor said the same number of men were employed at present at the pumping station as during the summer. Mr. Cooper thought this was an extraordinary fact. Mr. Crowther's motion was carried. The Mayor said thia motion would take effect at once,

Mr. James moved, "That la per day be taken off the wages of the five workmen at the pumping station receiving 7s fid per day.' 1 Mr. Garratt hoped that this would not be passed until the Council had dealt with the larger salaries. Mr. Patterson seconded the motion. Mr. Crowther moved an amendment, " That the amount to be taken off the wages of those workmen be 6d a day."

Mr. Patterson would not consent to this. These men were receiving their pay no matter whether the weather was wet. or dry. and this was more than many tradesmen were receiving. £ ; *.•.- Mr. pointed out, that these were the men who attended to the street pipes, and thoy suffered considerable hardships. He would not be willing to exchange positions with them.

In reply to this, Mr. Lennox remarked there was not a single line of retrenchment which the Council took up, but they were met by objection. (Hear, hear.) He thought the Council should do its work fearlessly and boldly, and reduce the salaries of the working-men as well as those of the Mayor and other officials. Mr. Crowther's amendment was carried, Mr. Garratt moved a further motion, " That the fixing of the day wages be deferred."

The motion was lost.

In the following clauses no recommendation was made : —3. Gas Lighting : The Council is reminded that, by resolution of the Council, the annual decrease in gas expenditure is now £771, and the decrease for the six months ending 31st December next amounts to £385. 4. Parks: Since the death of Mr. Wells the expenses in connection with the Albert Park have decreased £1,11165, no appointment having been made in his stead.

Clause 6, Baths (fresh and salt water): That the Freshwater Bath and Saltwater Baths be leased by tender for a term of three years (conditions of lease to be prepared by the Finance Committee), thus effecting a saving in salaries and a probable increase in revenue to the Council.

The Mayor pointed out that the receipts from the two baths for the twelve montns amounted to £208 12s 7d, whilst the expenditure was £280 4s Id.

Mr. Evans moved the adoption of clause 5.

In answer to Mr. Garratt, the Mayor said the loss in expenditure as against receipts was caused by the decrease in the entrance money. Mr. Patterson said the committee thought that were the baths leased they would be taken up by a practical man, who would make them pay by teaching swimming, holding competitions, etc. Messrs. Atkin and Davies agreed with the proposal to lease the baths. The latter thought; a term of three years was not long enough. Mr. Phillipps asked what would be the use of leasing the Baths If the Fair Rent Bill was passed, the lessee could come to the Council and insist upon a reduction in the amount of his lease.

Clause 5 was adopted. Clause 6, Surveyor : That the services of the surveyor be dispensed with. The Mayor moved the adoption of this clause. The loan money would, after a few years, be at an end, and the office of surveyor would not be needed. Mr. Eva>s seconded the motion, remarking, however, that the surveyor had been a painstaking official, who had given every assistance and information to councillors.

Mr. Cooper moved, as an amendment, " That the services of the engineer, surveyor, town clerk, and treasurer, be dispensed with, with a view to the amalgamation of offices, and that applications be invited for the position of engineer and surveyor combined, at a salary of £400 per annum, and for the position of town clerk and treasurer combined, at a salary of £500 per annum." In these times people must work harder for their money. He was very much averse to reducing the salary of an officer, and he would rather give him a chance of earning his money by doing a little more work. The list of the town clerk's duties did not seem to him to be a very formidable one ; and, so far as he could see, there was really nothing to prevent the town clerk from performing the duties 6f treasurer. He believed that, with the assistance of a clerk—and they had, he knew, a very excellent clerk now assisting the town clerk—he believed that, with the assistance of this gentleman, the town clerk could perform the duties of his own office and those of the treasurer. It was imperative that the offices should be combined in this way, or that the positions of the town clerk and city solicitor should be amalgamated. He would rather that the former amalgamation were effected, as if they were to combine the duties of town clerk and city solicitor, they would simply deprive Mr. Philips of any chance of tilling that office. They would all agree that Mr. Philips was a valuable officer, but he (Mr. Cooper) believed that he could do something more. Mr. Hkwson seconded the amendment. Mr. Atkin thought the time had arrived for a reorganisation of offices. Mr. Evans said the amendment had taken him by surprise. He did not think it was the duty to dispense with the chief man at the wheel, so to speak. He did not know whether Mr. Cooper had taken the trouble to look into the work conducted by the town clerk and the treasurer, but he (Mr. Evans) had done so, and it was his firm conviction that the duties of the two offices could not be done by one man. The Auditor-General had complimented the Council upon the manner in which the accounts were kept. They proposed by this amendment to go in for cheap labour with a vengeance, and cheap labour might be dearly psvid for. The resolution should be divided ; it was too long as it stood. Mr. Garratt believed that the town clerk could not possibly do the work of the treasurer also. He would have liked to sec a solicitor in the position of the Town Clerk, but he would vote for the amendment. The Harbour Board had a secretory and treasurer at £500 a-year, and as much money passed through the hands of that body as through those of the Council.

Mr. Holland would not support the amendment. If the engineer were paid on commission, the contracts would be costly. The duties of the four offices were quite sufficient for one man in each.

Mr. Phillipps would vote for the first {nirt of Mr. Cooper's amendment, but not or the second. The town clerk was a check upon the treasurer, and the treasurer a check upon the town clerk, and defalcations could not therefore take place. Mr. Cooper : What about the AuditorGeneral ?

Mr. Piulupps : The audit takes place once a year, but defalcations could take place, and the Auditor-General never be any the wiser.

The Mayor was not sure that one man could do the duties of the two offices of town clerk and treasurer. He did not think it would be wise in the interests of tho Council to amalgamate the offices. The very best argument that he could see in favour of the offices being separate was the Monday morning "check which the town clerk kept upon the moneys received by the treasurer during the week. If the two offices were amalgamated, that check would have to go. He agreed with the first part of the amendment, which coincided with the report of the committee ; but he wanted more time to consider the second portion, and he would like councillors to consider it. -

It was pointed out by Mr. Cooper that, if the streets were to be kept in repair by contract, as had formerly been suggested by the Mayor, the work of the treasurer would be materially lessened. A desultory discussion ensued, and Mr. Cooper's amendment was then put, and lost.

Mr. Garbatt moved a further amendment, "That the further consideration of clause 6 be deferred, and that the Council proceed to consider clause 14." This amendment was carried.

Mr. Garratt then pointed out that the reduction of salaries should be uniform. It was now proposed to reduce some to the extent of 25 per cent., and others 16 and llj per cent. He moved, "That a uniform reduction of 25 per cent, be made in the salaries of the permanent officers of the Council."

Mr. Davies seconded the amendment, which was put and lost. Clause 14, salary list : 1. The Mayor ; the committee recommended a reduction of from £300 to £250.

Mr. Crowther moved an amendment, "That the Mayor's salary be £200 per annum." He moved this in the spirit which did not look to the individual. A gentleman did not want to be mayor of this city for what was made out of it. (Laughter.) If he did he should nob be made Mayor. If a man had not enough love and respect for this oity to do it without the £200, he should nob be made Mayor. (Laughter.) .The present energetic Mayor had shewn them that be could do the duties without! interfering with his business. Ho did not think that the giving £200 or £250 would affect the question as bo who would be the next Mayor. Mr. James seconded the amendment).

Mr. Trenwith hoped that the amendment would not be carried. The Finance Committee had considered the question, and when they considered the calls made upon the Mayor, they thought £250 was little enough. He remembered at one meeting of the committee the Mayor had told them that that day he had been flooded with widows. (Laughter.) • Mr. Cooper said that were they to pay the Mayor according to the value of the services rendered by him to the city, he would vote for an increase. (Hear, hear.) They, could not do this, and therefore it mattered little what salary they paid the Mayor, as by reducing they were simply curtailing his power of distributing charity. Mr. Evans said that the Mayor had stated to the Finance Committee that he would consent to a reduction of £100, but the committee had thought. £50 a sufficient reduction.

The amendment moved by Mr. Crowther was carried.. 2. Town Clerk: The committee recommended a reduction of from £450 to £400.

Mr. Garratt moved an amendment, " That the offices of the town clerk and city solicitor be amalgamated." In moving this he was not simply pandering to the popular cry, because he had brought forward this motion on every occasion when the fixing of salaries had taken place. Mr. Cooper seconded the amendment. It was pretty well recognised that the town clerk should be a solicitor. In consequence of Mr. Phillips' want of legal knowledge, considerable loss had taken place. The Council had rejected his amendment for the amalgamation of the offices of the town clerk and treasurer, and he thought the amalgamation now proposed was the next best thing. The Mayor, in reply to a councillor, said their city solicitor's fees, paid by the Council for the three years, amounted to £612 15s Bd.

General discussion took place at this stage, and one gentleman urged that the Council would not get any applications for the combined position. Mr. Garratt : How was it that Mr. Thorne has applied ? Mr. Evans : That is a complete fallacy. Mr. Thorne has no more intention of applying than Mr. Garratt has. Mr. Evan6 spoke against the amendment. Mr. Dignan trusted that this matter would be settled that night, and he trusted that it would be settled against the amendment. He had always opposed this idea of the town clerk being a solicitor—(hear, hear)—and for this reason : because of the bills they had received from the city solicitor. If they had a solicitor as the town clerk to-morrow, when they had a compensation case they would have to employ the best men they could get; they would not employ the town clerk. Whilst they had so many members of the legal profession on the Finance Committee, there would be continual squabbling with the town clerk about legal questions (laughter); it was bad enough now when they were all amateur engineers. ' Again, the town clerk, were he a solicitor, would not go down to conduct cases at the Police Court on behalf of the Council. The Council would have to set up an attorney's office,' and employ an engrossing clerk at once. The time of the town clerk would be taken up in answering legal questions put to him by the councillors, and he would be continually employed looking up points of law. Mr. Garratt's amendment was lost.

Mr. Cooper moved a further amendment, " That the services of the town clerk and treasurer be dispensed with, and that application be invited for the combined offices, at a salary of £500 per annum." This, he pointed out was the second part of the amendment he had previously proposed, and he believed it would now receive better support. Mr. James seconded the amendment.

a further amendment by Mr. Buchanan, That the meeting adjourn," was carried. The adjourned meeting is to be held on Tuesday evening next, at seven p.m.