WAIHI NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16760, 29 January 1918, Page 3

WAIHI NEWS.

[raoii oto OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WAIHI, Monday. " Tire-monthly meeting of the Waihi Borough! Council was held last week. Declarations ■were received announcing the purchase within the borough of 11,5570z of gold. The Finance Committee's report showed the debit balance of the district fund account to be £7130 13s. The question a3 to the best system to be followed ' with regard to. the employment of workmen was raised by the Mayor, who moved a motion favouring a permanent staff whose wages should not be less than £3 per i week, with a casual staff of labourers to be employed as requirements demand and finan-, cial circumstances permit, the casual workers to be paid at le 3d per hour for a 45-hour week. As an alternative lie moved that all borough labourers should receive an addition . to their pay of sixpence per day. After a' lengthy'discussion the second proposal was carried by six votes to five.'-' -£> Mr. J. Or. Cornes gave notice of his intention to move at ..the next, meeting that the council circularise all boroughs 'in the Dominion asking them to .urge the Government to bring down legislation making Saturday the compulsory weekly half-holiday. A. notice of motion was given by Mr. W. B. Corringham that, in .view of the large amount of interest being paid on the borough's over- . draft, the council should go more closely into the financial position with a view to reducing the overdraft by at least £500 per annum, and that, if carried, a strong recommendation be made to the next council to continue the reduction until the overdraft is reduced to not more than £2000. A special meeting of the Waihi Fire Board was held on Thursday night, there being present:— J. Foster (chairman). W. J Cornes, W. Brown, D. Donaldson (Borough Council), F. H. Pope, H. A. Marriner and H H. McCulloch (Auckland Underwriters Association). The main business.was the appointment.of a fire brigade superintendent and deputy superintendent. The members nominated for the first-mentioned office were Messrs. W. E. Roberts (ex-superintendent) and L. Steele (ex-foreman and car-driver): and for the latter, Messrs.. J. Lockmgton and S Shergold. As Messrs. Steele and Lockiricrton had claimed a majority support in a, ballot taken among members of the brigade before disbandment, they were elected by the board to the respective positions by five votes to; two. .