MUNICIPAL RETRENCHMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4322, 21 February 1887, Page 3

MUNICIPAL RETRENCHMENT.

[To THE EdiTOß.] Sib, —Your strictures on the action of the Finance Committee of the Borough Council, published in your leader on Saturday evening, re notice to terminate the charwoman's engagement, are groundless. Yon state “ that in every Way she (the charwoman) has been a reliable and useful servant. This fact and the other fact that she is the mother of eight young children, almost wholly dependent upon the wages she received from the Council, have no weight with the reformers, and the charwoman will dow have to be content with ten shillings." This statement is not borne out by anything brought under the notice of the Council; on the contrary 1 stated during the discussion which took place on the subject that 1 was induced tosign the Finance Committee’s recommendation in consequence of one of the members (the charwoman being an entire stranger to me) saying that she was not in needy circumstances, was well dressed, and that there were many poor deserving persons who were in receipt of charitable aid who would be glad to do the work for ten shillings per week. This statement was not reported. Your deduction " that a general reduction of the Council’s servants wages is intended,” is not justified by anything that has so far been brought before the Council, and as regards myself you were never more deceived if you think that I am in favour of a general reduction of salaries. In fact Ido not think there is one of the Council’s servants who is overpaid, but rather that they are all worthy of their hire. —I am, &o. Jacob Hill. Timaru, February 21st, 1887.