BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18822, 10 March 1931, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

QUESTION OF WAGES AND SALARIES. INVESTIGATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. On the requisition of the Mayor (Mr W Angland), a special meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was held last night for the purpose of considering salaries and wages. There were present:—The Mayor, and Councillors T. W. Satterthwaite, G. Benstead, J. R. Hart. W. H. Hunt, F. Chittock, M. H. Richards, F. B. Hawkey, A. Kennedy and J. Todd. The Mayor read his requisition calling the meeting, and said that the question to be decided was whether the Council should consider the matter that evening, or hold it over until such time as Parliament had met. Councillor Benstead: “I have a resolution here, if you will take it. He then read his resolution as follows: “That consideration of the salaries

and wages paid by the Council be deferred until the committee which this Council unanimously agreed to set up, to Inquire into the administrative costs of the Borough has reported to the Council.” Councillor Benstead intimated that motion was seconded by Councillor Hart.

Mayor: “We can give you th! administrative costs now.” Councillor Benstead: “The resolution says to inquire into administrative rests. I do not want the total. I want the committee which was set up by unanimous vote three or four months ago. to function.” The Mayor: ‘The Town Clerk tells me the committee was not nominated.” Councillor Benstead: “That dues not matter. It shows a lack of appreciation of the duties of either yourself or the Town Clerk. You should have seen that the committee was set up. The Standing Orders say that in the event of there being no convener, it is the duty of the Town Clerk to see that

a committee is set up.” The Mayor: “You understand that a person who asks for a committee is the person who nominates it.” Councillor Satterthwaite: “Therehas been no committee set up yet.’

Councillor Richards said that he would like tc see what the Government intended doing. He considered that it was too early for the Council to take action

The Mayor: “You move in that direction, and we will get a vote on it.” The resolution was handed up to the Mayor who perused it and remarked: “Would it not be better to refer this to the Finance Committee first, and they could report to the Council.” Councillor Chittock said that as the committee had not previously been nominated, it should be done that night. They could not do anything until the committee was set up. The Mayor: “We can give you an idea of the administrative costs compared with other boroughs.” Councillor Benstead: “Would I oe in order in giving the personnel of the committee which should have functioned months ago.” The Mayor: “They were not nominated.”

Councillor Benstead: “I will move that the committee consist of the chairman of the Finance Committee, the chairman of the Works Committee, the chairman of the Electric Light Committee . - .

The Mayor: “I think it would be better to put that afterwards. Councillor Todd: “Is the resolution in order? It refers to a committee which is not in existence.” The Mayor: “So far as the committee is concerned. .he motion is in order. I still think it should go to the Finance Committee first.” The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Councillor Benstead then moved that the committee to enquire into the administrative costs of the Borough be Councillors Satterthwaite, Hart, Kennedy, the Mayor, and the mover. Councillor Hart seconded the motion. Councillor Kennedy: “I am against it. I refuse to sit on that committee unth such time as the gentlemen who left the Council last meeting night apologise. They may think they were ' right, being aided and abetted by the newspapers. They ought to tender an apology for leaving the meeting, and until they do so.jl absolutely refuse to sit on a committee with them.”

The Mayor: “This is a special meeting called for a special purpose. Councillor Kennedy, and you cannot refer to the matter you have spoken of. The proper place to discuss that is at the ordinary meeting of the Council.” Councillor Kennedy: “I refuse to sit on that committee, Your Worship.”

Councillor Hawkey: “I have no fault to find with the personnel of the committee suggested, but I think that the subject matter to be enquired into would be better investigated by a committee of the Council as a whole. It is a question of vital interest to the Council and to every member of the community, and as a matter of fact it is engaging the best brains we have in the country. I would like to see the Council function as a whole, so that we won’t have to go back over the whole thing when the report comes before the Council.” Councillor Benstead: “The point raised by Councillor Hawkey is somewhat belated inasmuch as it was unanimously passed by the Council to set up a committee, and now he has lust found out that it will be necessary to have a committee of the Council as a whole.”

Councillor Hunt: "The committee will only make a recommendation to the Council.” Councillor Todd: "It is quite possible for a committee of the Council as a whole to report to the Council, and I think Councillor Hawkey is quite right.” The Mayor: "You can have an amendment that a committee of the Council as a whole be set up.” Councillor Benstead: “I don’t object to that, sir.” Councillor Hawkey: "Will Your Worship accept an amendment to the motion?” The Mayor: "Yes, you can move an amendment.” Councillor Benstead: "If the seconder of my motion is agreeable, I will alter my motion to make the committee one of the Council as a whole.” Councillor Hart: "I don’t object to It, but ...” Councillor Satterthwaite: “If the motion is so altered, there can be no objection to it.” The motion was altered as suggested and adopted.