A STORMY MEETING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23882, 9 August 1939, Page 12

A STORMY MEETING

DISSENSION AMONG COUNCILLORS TOWN CLERK'S SALARY DISCUSSION AT GREEN ISLAND Last night's meeting of the Green Island Borough Council was a stormy session, the bone of contention being the Finance Committee's recommendation that 'the town clerk's salary should be raised to £4lO per annum. The matter was brought to a head when it was moved by Cr Boomer and seconded by Cr Freeman that the council should go into committee on the Finance Committee's report. Cr Tompkins objected, stating that the public should know everything that went on in the council and that if he were blocked he would exercise his right of taking the matter up in the columns of the press. Cr Freeman stated that he did not see why any council officer should be used as a "political chopping-block," as would be the case if the report were discussed in open council. The Mayor asked Cr Freeman if he could explain his statement, remarking on the fact that a local body should not be regarded as a partisan body politically. ..». After heated discussion it was decided to take the matter in open council, and the " gallery," which comprised three ex-Labour councillors, was allowed to return. Exception to Clause Cr Tompkins moved that the Finance Committee's report should be adopted, with the exception of the clause relating to an increase in the clerk's salary. "Itis an ill-advised recommendation," he stated, "made without taking due consideration of the state of the borough's finances. The borough is in a worse position than it was 15 months ago when the council took office, and it will be hard put to it to balance its budget. If the council ..had wanted to raise its office expenses, why. did it cut out its renewal funds? " Cr Tompkins made a comparison with the main boroughs in the neighbourhood, and showed that the salaries of the respective clerks were comparable . with that of the Green Island town clerk. "The cost of administration in the borough is far too high," continued Cr Tompkins. "It is not a question of not realising the town clerk's ability or suitability for the job. The real point is the ability of the ratepayers to pay for these increased costs." Seconding the motion, Cr McAhan stated that there appeared to be some councillors around the table who did not realise the fact that the payment of the increased salary meant " robbing" some committee of its allotment. For every £1 collected in the borough, 8s went in the repayment of loans, and a further sum for office costs, so that not much was left over. Ratepayers were clamouring for repairs, and the council was not able to get the work done, as the office costs were mounting at an alarming rate. Cr McAhan stated further that the clerk had been at the job for only one year and that he had been started at the.same salary as the previous clerk, which was not the usual custom. His salary was already higher than that of clerks in boroughs of a comparative size.,. '•'_ Adequate Salary Advocated Cr Boomer, speaking in favour of the recommendation of an increase in the salary, stated that the only way the council could expect to get efficiency would be to pay the clerk an adequate salary so that he would not always be on the-look-out for a better job. Cr Freeman endorsed Cr Boomer's remarks and said that one of the main reasons why the clerk's wages should be increased was to take them outside the scope of the award, which had a maximum figure of £4OO. The clerk could then be expected to act as : ah on behalf ■ ofHheV council, in conciliation proceedings at any time; y ; : - : Ail';-'' Hooey" ,' "The opposition of some councillors," Cr Freeman contended, "is only opposition to the Labour councillors. AH this business about saving the ratepayers'' money is just a lot of ' hooey.' Cr Tompkins puts across a lot of this ' hooey,' and he puts some ' beauts' over the Labour councillors who are new in office. How are we to know when he is leading us up a blind alley? He is always doing his best to put ' beauts' over us! " Cr Tompkins: And a lot more "beauts" will be put over you! Cr Boomer: It's all right. We can take the knocks. Cr Freeman: Cr Tompkins is only opposed to awards because they, on one occasion, cost him a lot of money. He's lust putting over a lot of bluff to build a blind wall in front of us. At this stage the Mayor called the meeting to order, and stated that it had been to him " a very painful meeting." He hoped the clerk would not think that any councillor was speaking of him personally—the financial viewpoint was the cause of the dissension. An Extraordinary Position "This is an extraordinary position," said Cr Tompkins. "Nobody has seen fit to put an amendment, therefore the only way to block the motion now is to throw out the whole Finance Committee's report, and in that case no accounts can be paid for a mbnth." Referring to the arguments advanced by Crs Freeman and Boomer, he stated that so far as the necessity for the clerk to represent the employers on anv conciliation matter was concerned, the need should never arise, as any representation of that type should fall to one of the councillors. The ratepayers were entitled to any increase in the revenue, and it was definitely time to call a halt to the mounting inside costs of office administration. Cr Boomer accordingly moved that a special meeting of the council should be held to consider the Finance Committee's report. Cr Tompkins, however, pointed out the necessity for holding a committee meeting first. Cr Boomer: We're learning—experience teaches. Cr Tompkins: I'm glad to hear that. Cr Boomer then asked whether the meeting of the Finance Committee could be held to-night, but Cr Tompkins reminded him that two days' notice was necessary. Cr Boomer: We're still learning. Cr Boomer's motion for the making of a certain date for the council meeting was countered by Cr Tompkin's explanation that in the circumstances it was out of order. ; Cr Boomer (gloomily): Everything's but of order. It was finally decided after considerable discussion that the matter should be brought up at a special meeting of the: Finance Committee and,, later, of the council.