COUNTY STAFF SALARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 5

COUNTY STAFF SALARIES.

RATEPAYERS URGE "CUT." ENGINEER AND CLERK;. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PAPAEOA, Monday; A further reduction in the salaries of the higher-paid officials of the Otamatea County Council has been urged by meetings of ratepayers during recent months, the reduction of 10 per cent, already made not being deemed sufficient'to meet the times. Another meeting was held on Saturday. The county chairman, Mr. R. Coates, and Messrs. Smith and Collins, members of the council, attended. There were indications that ratepayers were becoming impatient at requests by large meetings for a reduction in salaries being ignored. The county chairman and Mr. Collins maintained that efficient county officials were needed for careful administration and that this reacted in savings to the ratepayers through economical management. It was pointed out that the council had suffered severely in past years through the employment of inefficient clerks. ; . The following resolution was carried unanimously:—"That this meeting calls on tho county council to make a cut in the salaries of tho engineer and clerk to the extent of £2OO below the salaries stated 011 the balance-sheet of March 31, 1931." The salaries at that" date were: Engineer, £600; and clerk, £SOO, with free house. Since then t)ic council has imposed a cut of 10 per cent.