THE CORPORATION OFFICIALS.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14408, 19 May 1917, Page 4

THE CORPORATION OFFICIALS.

PROPOSED TERMINATION OF &NGAGK\lJi)i\!£>.

At last night's meeting., of-the City Council,- tho following resolution was. nsofred by Cr. Gibbons, in accordance with notice':— {'Tliat all salaried officers having charge of employees of the Council receive tnree months' notice, subject to xe-engagement within eightweeks."

Jho Mayor s aid he had considered the resolution, and as it was worded he Jiad come to the conclusion that the" ottcers affected were the Town Clerk, the uty Engineer, tho Gas Engineer, the abattoir manager, gasworks foreman, road ioreman, water fitting ioreman, gasMtmg foiemau, and the foreman butcher.

Cr. Gibbons said hy offered no apology ior removing the resolution. He realised the drastic nature ani audao--rLI 'k^Vll^' liv«d in audacious times, ihey had a mandate to cut down expenditure. They had warning or a motion by Cr. Carlisle affe~tinone official, and it seemed to him that there were others in the same category and they .ghoul* all bo dealt witu at once. It did not follow that all or any of the officials would lose their positions, but after the resolution had been dealt with the officers if they looked at tho matter in the ri->ht ho-ht would feel that they had been^hrouW the ordeal, and they could hold their heads up more proudly than they did before. If the motion -was carried the Council would save timeand money. If it was rejected he would have no feeling about it.

Cr. Baigenl seconded the motion. Cr. Hampson said lie did not know whether Oi.-Gibbons was to be congratulated or otherwise on the unique document ho had put before the Council. The motion was that certain officials be given three' months' notice, subject to re-engagement in eight weeks. What did that mean? The'tiling was an absurdity on the face of it. Jt was simply unthinkable that any Council should simply "fling out the whole of its officers in such a way. If superfluous officers were employed that would be a n-atter ior proper consideiation, but svcli a resolution a 3 Or. Gibbons1, whik> the height) of absurdity, was also the height of cruelty.

Or. Marris said he did not doubt that. Cr. Gibbons brought the motion forward with the idea of economising. He was prepaicd to help him economise, but not m this way. He could not support the resolution. They should inquire what officials were required and whether any could be' dispensed with. They had not made any such inquiry. Such a motion would 'mean that the fear of dismissal would be hanging over the officers' Jioaus for eignt weeks, and he would "oe very sorry to put them in; such a position. i

Cr. Watson said there were other matters to 'oe con-oidered. Jn the Maitai lands casej for instance, they would require the evidence of officials who had been associated with the proceedings, especially the City Engineer. Those who had sat in previous Councils Knew the work imposed upon the Town iClerkj who was at the beck and call of the citizens, He was astonished that his health iiad been preserved under the strain of the last three years, is he i^aa three months' holiday instead of three months' notice it would be the proper ming. He had been opposed to the appointment of aGas Engineer, i>uo tnuu ouieei- nau not yet had an opportunity to show results. This year £nouid be*an experimental year lor the Council. Alter ins two years' service he leio that ii'e was only oegmning to uiiciemana matters. He would asiv the nov. w oe carelul wiiaii they ..did. \>.nen he was in Wellington recently uo was toitl that in Mr xuoy nua one of tue best gas engineers, in tnu l>oiniiuon, and a man wuj would Jiiake vie gasworks pay. Jtio thougut tne> sxiouiu set, up a committee to ijo throujfti cue aepari meats. ji.u\n\} vei-j - iuii.bi.tsi.o cuiumg up thai. \vouia leqaire Lue services of a City t-'ugiiioor. if they Jiau iiuu a competent •fcifc&iiicfi1 .^ilvMl. SUiiif liiijjvirLUm. WOI"K3 iiau b'jen unuertaiioii tuo cuy would nai-e ueen saveU LuuuauixWi ox

Cr. i'fe&tit Bind no wan j^uu ox an opportunity ut speuivui^ u^aiiiso"uie resoiUtioii. it wa.s iiuu i/iju Mi;si. wine the Council Jiad Jiud pi-o^usiiis beioio it to dispenses* with enamours. ' ':..iiey uid so on one occasion, a;Ki ih c-ust tiie city abouc £iJu-.A/, anu jnuijuar. tuoir action' regarding tno drainage scueiue cos& anotjjor itiv/jUJI!. Cjoiuo v-ouuciilors laigiit cinnii iiiao cercain oiiiciais v.ere not reymred, out iie %vas not prepared to djsliiiss any oiheer lor i»o ivusou, cuid Uie Uouuca could be trusted to reject sucli ii motion, it was so opposeu to the. metliods urdiaary employers »soiild use tliat tiie time or the Council should nut be watted over it.

Cr. Cariieie supported the resolution. .Everyone wag ajyetfd zaaz ■ tiiere was something seriously wrong, and it would be advantageous and save time it" the. resolution wexe carried. Tiie people had given a mandate that something must be done., and they nad placed the responsibility for what was wrong upon the old Council. He did not blame tiie old Council altogether. It had been guided by its omcers, but the officers themselves were at fault in recommending works which could not be carried out with tho money available. The object of the resolution was to save time. He could not see how retrenchment could be effected with tfce present staff of officers. Some years ago they had evidence that the gasworks was paying handeomely. Now they were faced with the fact that the gasworks was not paying. Why was that The resolution seemed to be the only method of effecting the reforms they had to effect,

Cr. Rout gakl the motion merited only the scantiest" criticism. He had anticipated exceUent reasons from (Jr. Gibbons in support of a motion which Cr. Gibbons mid was audacious, but whicU he (Cr. Hou,t) could not find words to characterise which came within the proper language, of debate. The only support of the motion had come from Cr. Carlisle. Cr. Gibbons had given them no argument in favour of such s,n assault upon no less tfcan nine employees of the Council. Ho would be very much astonished if any private employer of labour would adopt such a method.

The Mayor said lie need not say that he would not support the motion! They had to effect very substantial economies, but he "was not-going to commit himself to any particular form of economy without consideration. He thor.ght there would be means forthcoming of practising proper economies in •several dir.cctionfi. He was sorry Cr. Gibbons had brought such a motion forward, and lie thought he had been very fairly treated in tho criticism it had brought upon him. Cr. Gibbons, in reply, said lie was, not surprised at the discussion, but he had not expected such scathing condemnation of a motion given in good spirit. He did riot regret bringing tire motion forward, but he did fool hurt at some of the scathing criticism passed upon him. The officers would have to be dealt with individuallT. and he would lose no opportunity "of bringing facts forward in open Council, not by Star Chambers methods. He had reasons for moving the resolution, as the Council wnrM understand later on. | The resolution was then put and lost the voting being: Ayes (4) Councillors Stringer, Baagent, Carlisle, and Gibbons: Noes (6"> tho Mayor and Councillor * Watson. Bout, Hampson, Marris, and Pettit. . . . :