MUNICIPAL SALARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21225, 4 July 1932, Page 7

MUNICIPAL SALARIES.

DISCUSSION IN WELLINGTON.

QUESTION OF REDUCTION. DRASTIC NOTICE OF MOTION. ' Tile following notico of motion, will come np for consideration at the next meeting of the Wellington City Council:—r - r (1) That all officers in the City Cor-"' v poratiDn's employ be compulsorilv retired at 60 years of age, and (2) that aU' T •' salaries of £IOOO a. year and over be duced to £750, and those between £SOO and £750 to £SOO a year. The motion A stands in the came of Mr. J. McEldownev.-' r - It is understood there are quite a nam-"'- 1 ' ber of members of the service who ara "'T approaching €0 years of age, and vrho have not contemplated the necessity ofhaving to retire for a number of years yet, says the Dominion. Furthermore, ifc * seems that if this drastic motion were given effect to those near the proposed new; retiring age would have to be content with'" a smaMer retiring allowance on superannuation than they would receive if J allowed to remain in the council's employ; *' until they were 65 years of age.

There have been instances where mett. have been retained in the council's ser-;„ vice until ove:r 80 yearg of age. One in point was the city valuer, the late Mr* James Ames, whose knowledge of the' city 1 and tho various properties it embraced was u aique.'

From what can be gathered informally; from members of the City Council, tha inotior; to reduce salaries on the drastic -v scale suggested is not likely to meet with the approval of a majority of councillors... It is believed, however, that there is a feeling that some salaries are too higU under the circumstances, and that a fur-' 7 ther cut is likeJy providing it can be don® i equitably. - The two highest-paid officers in the corporation's employ are the town clerk, Mr* E. P. Norman, who, in 1926, was appointed at a salary of £1450 a year, and the city engineer, Mr.. G. A. Hart, who > was appointed, in 1926 at a salary of £I4OO a year. These are probably thei only two salaries in excess of £IOOO a year, and it Ls. doubtful if, under their _ rm agreements with the City Council, their salaries can be cut in the manner suggested by the. author of the notice of motion. • •"'! The City Gcuncil salaries have already.,* been siabmitteiJl to more than one cut. At __ the last meetirig of the council, upon tha casting; vote of the Mayor, it, was decided '" to reduce all salaries between £3CO ,c---and £4OO a year by 5 per cent., and ' salaries of over £4OO a year by 10 per •- cent., with an equity proviso.