OFFICIAL RESIGNS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22657, 19 February 1937, Page 11

OFFICIAL RESIGNS

'.THE CITY TREASURER SVJR. A. MESSER'S DECISION SUCCEEDED BY MR. ASHBY FURTHER PROMOTION MADE The resignation of Mr. Andrew Ulesser, city treasurer, was announced dt a meeting of the City Council last night. The assistant-town clerk, Mr. x. W. M. Ashby, was appointed to succeed him, and Mr. D. L. Robinson, internal auditor and checking officer, was promoted to the position of as-sistant-town clerk. Mr. Messer's resignation, which was rendered necessary by the state of his health, was considered at length by the council in committee. Subsequently, in open council, the Finance Committee reported that Mr. Messer had asked to bo relieved of his duties as from March 4. Tho committee recommended ■that his resignation be accepted and that ho bo granted 12 months' leave of absence on half-pay. >

The committee also recommended that, the appointments of Mr. Ashby and Mr. Robinson should be subject to confirmation •at the expiration of 12 months. Their salaries were fixed at £BSO and £SOO a year respectively, with the question of annual increments to be reviewed in 12 months' time. These recommendations were adopted and the town clerk, Mr. James Melling, was instructed to report on the advisability of calling for applications by public advertisement for a successor to Mr. Robinson as internal auditor and checking officer, or of recommending for appointment a qualified auditor from the corporation staff, or from one of the departments of State. Town Clerk's Duties The council also decided on the recommendation of the Finance Committee that in the interests of general efficiency, uniformity of supervision, control and administration, the town clerk, in addition to his official title, should be designated chief administrative officer and that no temporary clerks were to be engaged for employment with the council without his prior approval. After the formal reports were presented the Mayor, -Mr. Ernest Davis, moved that the council should placo on record its appreciation of the long and valuable services performed bv Mr. Messer during his 32 years of association with the . corporation, express regret that the requirements of health 6hould necessitate his relinquishing his duties, and express the hope that in his retirement he would enjoy the health and happiness to which his long period of service had entitled him. The resolution was carried, and it was decided that it should be recorded in. the minutes of the council and that a copy should be forwarded to Mr. Messer.

The Mayor personally expressed his appreciation of Mr. Messer's services and his regret at his retirement, and in this he was supported by the deputy-mayor, the Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C., Miss Ellen Melville, Jtfr. H. P. Burton, Mr. J. Donald, Mr. L. J. Coakley, Sir George Richardson, Mr. A. Rosser and Mr. J. Stewart. Mr. Messer acknowledged the tributes to his ■work and stated that he had_ always endeavoured to give his best service to the city. Mr. Messer has been an officer of the City Council for 32 years. IJo was born and educated at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, and came to New Zealand,- in 1904. Ho joined the treasury department of the city as a clerk in 1905, and a. month later was promoted to tin? position of chief clerk, a post ho held for 17 yerrs. In 1922, when the city treasurer, Mr. .1. S. Brigham, was appointed town clerk, Mr. Messer was chosen to succeed him. Mr. Ashby's Career Mr. Ashby was born in Auckland and educated at Te Aroha District High School and Victoria University College, Wellington. Ho entered the service ot the Government, being employed in the head office of the Education Department, Wellington, and as compiler in charge of the finance, trade and local government statistics in the Government Statistician's office. He served overseas with the 16th Reinforcements and was invalided home in March, 1918. He was appointed by the City Council in 1923 as law, records and committee clerk and assumed the Position of assistant-Town Clerk at the wginning of this year. Mr. Ashby is

a qualified solicitor. He is a past chairman of the Auckland district council of the Institute of Incorporated Secretaries. secretary of the Auckland Zoological Society and president of the Auckland District Local Government Officers' Guild. Mr. Robinson is a son of Mr. H. S. Robinson, secretary of the Melanesian Mission, now resident in Sydney. Ho joined the town clerk's department in April, 1924, as a cadet and continued his studies at Auckland University College, where he graduated as Bachelor of Commerce and took the Diploma in Public Administration, He transferred to the purchasing department for a short period in 1926 and then returned to the town clerk's department, where ho remained for_,six years. In July, 1932. he was appointed assistant checking officer and on the retirement of Mr. W. E. Nash, on November 28, 1935, lie was appointed chief checking officer and auditor of commercial accounts, a position ho has held up to the present. Mr. Robinson has been regarded as one of the coming men in the service. Ho recently took a prominent part in the conversion and consolidation of a part of the securities of the public debt of the City Corporation amounting to almost £2,000,000. Recently he visited Australia and took the opportunity of gaining first-hand knowledge of public administration in the principal local bodies in Sydney.