STOCK LOSSES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20672, 10 March 1937, Page 4

STOCK LOSSES

POWER BOARD STORES DISAPPEAR STRICTER CHECK WANTED Stating that during last year the Board had lost £528 worth of stock, which was reduced by surpluses to a net loss of £254. the chairman (Mr G. Dash), at a meeting of the South Canterbury Electric Power Board yesterday urged that a stricter system of checking stores should be introduced. Mr Dash alleged that he had definite evidence of the theft of certain articles from the stock, the goods being offered for sale by a man who had bought them honestly. Unfortunately at a previous meeting the Board, by resolution, had given an instruction to its chairman that he was not to receive information except that which was placed before him by the engineer. As a result, the information which he had received from another source, he was not permitted to place before members. It meant that between meetings the chairman was subordinate to the engineer. He asked that the Board pass a resolution: “That the chairman accept accredited information of service to this Board from whatever source he elects, and that it be an instruction to the officers and staff that between the meetings of this Board the chairman is the supreme authority,” ’ “Totally Wrong” / Mr B. R. Macdonald: It is totally wrong that the chairman should be subordinate to anyone. Mr C. E. Kerr: I don’t think that was the Intention of the resolution. The chairman: Well, that is the position. Mr A. W. Buzan: It is the Board’s duty to go into the question and see what is happening. Mr Kerr: It may be difficult to prove the charges. Tire chairman: There would be no difficulty at all. On the motion of Messrs J. R. Hart and Macdonald, the motion suggested by the chairman was carried. The Board then went into committee to discuss the stock losses, and on resuming in open board confirmed the following resolution: “That the nearest possible advisable proximation to the Public Works Department system of stock checking, receiving and storing be put into operation by this Board, and that the chairman and Messrs Hart and Cook be appointed to oversee the installation of the system.”