RELIEF WORKERS’ WAGES

Southland Times, Issue 22296, 11 April 1934, Page 4

RELIEF WORKERS’ WAGES

GORE COUNCIL’S ATTITUDE.

At the meeting of the Gore Borough Council three weeks ago Councillor A. H. W. Aitken moved that the wages of relief workers who were employed full time by the council on drainage work be increased from 10/8 a day to 13/4 a day. On that occasion the Mayor (Mr A. T. Newman) ruled that as an agreement had been entered into with the men by the council it would be necessary to give notice of motion before varying the wages. Councillor Aitken said that he would bring forward the notice in accordance with his Worship’s ruling. At the meeting of the council on Monday night the notice of motion did not appear on the order paper and the Mayor made a statement that the notice had been given, but Councillor Aitken had overlooked the fact that it was necessary, according to the bylaws, for a notice of motion to be in the hands of the Town Clerk five clear days before the meeting. In the circumstances he had promised Councillor Aitken that he would bring the matter under the notice of the council himself. If the council wished it could discuss the matter fully that night, but as the hour was late he thought it probable that they would prefer to hold it over until next meeting. Councillor Aitken remarked that perhaps it would be better to hold the matter over until after the election. This remark was greeted by a ripple of laughter around the council table as at least one of the candidates contesting the vacant seat on the council has expressed himself as being strongly in favour of the wages of the relief workers being increased to a higher rate than at present. The laughter was increased when Councillor R. S. Green added: “Perhaps you would like to deal with the baths now,” this being another prominent election issue.