BENEVOLENT TRUSTEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9139, 11 June 1891, Page 4

BENEVOLENT TRUSTEES.

The ordinary weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees, held yesterday afternoon, was attended by Messrs Solomon (chairman), Swan, Wilson, Haynes, and Gourley.

Accounts amounting to £227 17s 8d were passed for payment. Tho Secretary reported that William Spray and David Turner had died during the week.

The Chaieman stated that a book hßd been prepared showing tbe number of cases on the books of tbe Trustees each month. Last month there were 411 cases on the books, representing 155 men, 364 women, and 1062 children. Tbe cost per week for maintaining tbe above was £143 15s.

The following report was read by Mr Haynes ;— " The committee beg to report that they have carefully Inquired and considered the report with respect to the staff of employes and tbe rate of salaries allowed, and with one exception they have no beßltation In laying that for the duties performed the salaries are fair and reasonable, the exception being the wages of the cook; but In consideration of her long services at the Institution they do not recommend any alteration while she retains the position. With respect to the respective duties of the secretary and master at the institution, they consider an alteration advisable, and would recommend, seeing tbe largely increased work devolving on the secretary since his engagement, that an alteration be made in his agreement to thlß extent, that tbe whole of his time be devoted to his duties at tbe office, believing there Ib ample work to occupy bis time fully, and that be be relieved from tbe necessity of visiting tbe Institution every morning. That, subject to the directions of tbe trustees, the master take the responsibility of the management of tbe institution. In tbe opinion of your committee there seems to be a divided responsibility at present. They would further recommend that the master keep a requisition book, in which all goods or materials of whatever description required for the institution be entered, and that the same be laid before the trui tees for tbelr appreval before ordering tbe same (goods obtained by contract excepted), and that no expenditure be incurred at the institution, except In cases of emergency, when, if practicable, the authority of the chairman be obtained, tbe same to be reported at the first meeting thereafter of the trustees. That a requisition book be also obtained for tbe town office, and tbe Bame rule to apply as at tbe institution with respeot to all goods, materials, and expenditure. Your committee would further add that In their opinion the services of tbe inspector should be dispensed with, and that the matter of tbe institution be again oalled upon to report on tbe various cases, believing that with tbe assistance of the police the work oould now be efficiently performed, and a saving of over £100 per year effected.

Ohas. Hatnes, Wm. Swan, EOBEBT WILSOK.

Mr Hatnes said he would formally move the adoption of thiß report, and seeing that it contained one or two important matters, he proposed that consideration stand over till next meeting. The Chaibuan: You had better move that it be received. The adoption of it is a totally different thing.

Mr Hatnes : I move, sir, that tbe report be received and adopted, and I will accept tbe proposition that consideration of it stand over till next meeting.

The Chaibman: It will be better to move that the report be received.

Mr Swan: If you adopt it, it will oat off all discussion,

. The Chaibman : Quite so. That is just what I say. .

Mr Hatnes : I think I am in proper order. Tbe Chaibman :Of course. No one says you are not.

Mr Haynes: Well, let me take my own course. I want to move formally that the report be adopted. Consideration of the report can stand over for a week or a month. I don't wish that it should be adopted at this meeting. The Chairman : It seems to me, the proper thing is to move that the report be received, and after consideration it can then be adopted. Does anyone second Mr Haynes' motion? If tho motion is carried, of course, it means that everything in the report is approved of. Mr Haynes : I don't say that it should be decided at this meeting.

Mr Wilson: If you don't want the matter decided at this meeting, I think you should move that the report be received.

Mr Haynes : Very well,

The Chaibhan : That's what I've been saying all along. It is moved that this report be received and consideration deferred until next meeting.

Mr Swan : I second the motion.

The Chaibhan : I certainly must say that I am very gratified to find that the committee have nothing serious to. find fault with. They seem to have made most exhaustive inquiries into the working of the institution, and it is gratifying to see that there is really nothing for any reasonable person to find fanlt with.

Mr Gouelet : It will be rather disappointing to the public that there is nothing wrong. After all the inquiries that have bsen made into this case and into that case the public will bo rather disappointed to find that the committee have only found a mare's nest.

• The motion was. then, carried unanimously, and the' relief'caso?tfeafirw|th.