THE MAYOR'S SALARY.

Thames Star, Volume XX, Issue 6132, 30 November 1888, Page 2

THE MAYOR'S SALARY.

1 A Protracts a Discussion.

After the ordinary business of the Borough Council had been trannacted laat evening, the motion of which Cr fiadford had given notice, viz. : '* That a salary be attached to the office of Mayor," came on for consideration. In moving the resolu tion Cr Eadford said he bad taken this

step because he did not consider it, right that any gentleman holding the office of Mayor should be called upon to pay his own expenses when he had to go to Auckland on business connected with the Council, head public subscription lists, or entertain distinguished visitors. He -scarcely thought, h >wever, that it should be called a salary, and therefore nrovd : " Tliat an allowance »c made to the Mayor so as to cover any expenses be might be put to in carrying out the duties of his office." He was willing to name the amount he had all along intended to propose if Councillors thought it desirable. _' Cr McGowan seconded the resolution. Cr Eenshaw said he believed in the Mayor ghaving some allowance. Some years ago when the Borough was in a flourishing condition £150 a-year was attached to the position, but fhe salary had dropped from that amount to nothing. It was probable that this may have had the effect of deterring many gentlemen from coming forward and accepting the position. Instead, however, of now fixing ! any amount, be thought it would be better to defer doing so until a month or so before the next election, and therefore proposed as an an amendment: " That a | month previous to the next election the I amount to be allowed the Mayor be de cided."

Cr Wood expressed his opinion that the amount should have been named by Cr Radford in his motion, as if Councillors disagreed with the sum he might propose, then they would hate an opportunity of making amendments. Were the amount mentioned, it would be a kind of guidance to Councillors.

The Mayor pointed out that Cr Radford could not now name the amount without the consent of Councillors, as it was not included in the motion of which be had giveu notice. He (Mr Brodie) might state that he cordially endorsed what bad been done by Cr Kadford. The Mayor of an important Borough like the Themes should not be called upon to pat his.hand into his own pocket when persons came to him with subscription lists. He was

opposed to any salary being granted, as he was of opinion that the honor of being Mayor of this district was in itself no small honor, but he certainly believed in an allowance beiog made at least sufficient to cover any expenses the Mayor might bo put to in carrying out the duties of his office. He was of opinion that it was the absence of such provision that had pre vented others from coming forward in the past. During the past year in consequence of the new developments in mining, there

had been a number of important visitors to the Thames; and although-Councillors might not be aware of it, the showing of thorn round the district necessitated the Mayor putting his hand into his pocket. The Council should meet expenses of this

kind to a moderate extent, as it was only wise, prudent, and fair to the occupier of the office that some such provision should be made. The whole of the County Council was recently placed in the Supreme Court in Auckland for spending £2 for the representation of the Council at the funeral of the late Warden Kenriek The expenditure of that amount had been authorised by the County Council for carriages, and it was felt that if Council* lors paid the amount out of their own pockets, then they would simply be jat the funeral as private citizens. The amount, however, had been disallowed by the Auditor General, and as the result of the case in the Supreme Court, which had been settled, the County Council and its members had been mulcted in costs amounting to about £140. If there was an allowance to the Mayor of the Borough he could meet calls of this kind out of his own pocket, and he was therefore of opinion that some amount should be granted, although he would have opposed it being plae-d in the form of a salary.

Cr Reid also supported an allowance being made, but he thought the amount should be stated, especially as a lot of ratepayers appeared to be of opinion that Cr Radford was moving for a salary simply for one gentleman. Cr Radford replied that he had read a great deal in the newspapers about the matter, and the other night at one of the election meetings he had publicly stated that he thought that £50 should be allowed. That was the amount he had always intended to propose. Cr Reid said he would support *an allowance of £50.

Or Koefoetl sa.id he was against any amount being allowed. He would be in favor, however, of a sum being set aside annually out of which the Mayor might meet these incidental expenses.

Or Radford remarked that the expenses might then amount to ;£IQO.

The Mayor, who had been perusiug the Munoipal Corporations Act, I§B6, here read clause 83 "« follows ;-**" The/Mayor may be paid such salary out of the Borough Fund as the Council from time to time directs; but it shall not be lawful to reduce the salary of the Mayor for the time being.in tffioe.'V It would th.esefo.re be seen that an " allowance " oould uot be voted—it i^QQt be called a " salary." The motion as moved by Cr Bad ford waß then amended to read " salary " instead of allowance, and carried r^m dis. ' The matter of Q^injf the amount was tfyeo considered. Or End ford proposed • V.yfuit £60 be allowed as a salary" fclttch was seconded by Cr Rsis, -w Cr Eeasbaw mo?ed as an amendment: " That the Council fix the amount to be votgd .tfce-:Mayor one month previous to tlwf*tfe*ti election of Mayor." He espl»io9&. ihat he was not unfavorable 'WSB* beins xed at £50« but he tooj|t;»,'sc|kM. the ratepayers had decided bj\k Sjse^psjority that these should not' be •ayV^^ry attached to the position. HelWfc^f'opinion that even were a salary offered If woqld not be aqcepted, and also thought thai if Gs Badford had not unfortoßltaly^fprgotteu to move in the V VY V

matter until just before the election, it would have commended itself to the public and been approved. Cr Crawford seconded the amendment, i being of opinion that according to the recent vote of the bunesses they bad decided that a salary should not be voted Cr Wood considered that the question was one of importance, and consequently he did not care to vote without fi>gt of all giving his reason for doing so He was in favor of a small allowance being made to the Mayor, and that it should take effect from that i.ight.. but he was not pledged to support £50. It appeared that "the reason Or R dford had now pro posed that the amount should be £50 *a* because he bad given notice that there should be a salary or an allowance, and that he was formerly of opinion that this should be the sum voted. But Or Ben» sbaw had also made up his mind that something should be given, so that it did not come with very good grace from either him or Cr Crawfor'd that nothiDg should now be allowed. Cr Crawford : Cr Wood should speak for himself. Cr Wood : I am speaking for myself. Cr Eenshaw : And others. Cr Crawford ; You don't know what my opinion was. Cr Wood replied that be did. How* ever, to proceed to business, he thought that £25 should be vot.d as an allowance, as although it hid according to the Act to be termed a salary, yet 'he sum was so small that it was not worthy of that name. The amount would most likely be for benevolent purposes, as the Mayor was frequently called upon to head a subscription. At the cud of the next year if the Borough was in a better and more prosperous condition, the sum could be increased were it deemed desirable, but £25 was enough at present. Cr Mc'Jowan said he sympathised with the proposal that the Mayor should be given an allowance. He knew as a matter of fact that anyone occupying the position of Mayor of.Thames had frequent calls made on his private purse to support the dignity of the office, but no provision bad been made for this for some considerable time past. Even when the salary attached to the position was knookpd off some years ago, it was done in what might be called a fit of economy, and immediately after the election of a new Mayor who bad been pledged to certain economical measures, one of which w»s the abolition, of the salary to the Mayor's office. But, unfortunately, the only economy that was then effected was in that one item. From that time no salary had been attached to the position, but from his (Cr McGowan'a) long connection with the Council and intimacy with those who had occupied the JVi ayoral Chair, he knew for a fact that they had been considerably out of pocket owing to the frequent calls made on them as Mayor. He felt that it was only reasonable and just that anyone occupying the office of Mayor should be placed in the position of doing so with credit to himslf and the Council. Knowing the danger that might arise were no allowance made, he would support £50, while he would further support it being made retrospective. He was well aware that many of the burgesses considered that if any gentleman chose to come forward and fill the office without a salary, he should be allowed to do so, and although that might be perfectly fair and reasonable, yet Councillors must bear in mind 'hat it was a position that should be upheld with dignity, and the Mayor should be assisted to do so to the extent that the expenses of the office should not be too great a drain upon his own private purse. Cr Had ford said he might explain that when giving notice of his motion at the last meeting, it did not occur to him that the election was so close at hand. The matter had been in his mind for the last 12 months, and he was hopeful that when it becmne publicly known that there would be a salary attached to the office, there would have been more candidates to choose from, although perhaps there could not have been more talent. He disclaimed any intention of fixing a salary for the benefit of one man, although he had been aocused of doing so. He bad given notice of his motion, and intended to stand by it. The amendment as moved by Cr Sensbaw was then pat, with the following result:—For : Crs Benshaw, Crawford, Koefoed, and Beid. Against: Crs Me* Gowan, Eadford, Wood, and MoAndrew. The Mayor gave his vote in favor of the resolution fixing the amount at £50, and explained that he did so, as this would enable Councillors to move farther amendments, and fix any amount they might choose. The amendment was therefore declared lost. Cr Wood then moved as an amendment to Cr Radford's motion: " That tha salary be £30," which was seconded by Cr Koefoed, but this was also lost. Cr Eenshaw next proposed as an amendment: " That the amount be £40," which Cr McAndrew seconded. This amendment was put and carried, and the motion being lost, the sum was therefore fixed.at £40. Cr McGowan then moved > " That the salary be for 1888 and 1889," and re marked that he believed the motion would commend itself to Councillors. Cr Crawford seconded. Cr Mo Andrew said he felt somewhat in a dilemma, as he believed that some allowance should ba made, and had always considered that as c, good deal of the Mayor's tim&^rMlt? occupied and some expense was entailed in discharging the duties of the office, he should be given some remuneration* But owing to the position m which the Council was placed, 156 bad voted against the allowance. He considered, however, that Mr Brodie had done his work as Mayor well during the past 12 months, although of $ou¥s6 they had not always. v>qHe4 together. Mr Brodie h^d. gona to Auckland many times c,a business connected with the Borough and had not charged the Council, while he had also devoted considerable time to the office. He thougttt th&V;Mr. Brodie deserved such s, vote as riaw proposed. He hu4 ape^t lots of time in the office, and had done the work well—better than any Mayor who hud held the position since he (Cr MoAudrew) had heea m the Gouaoil,

Cr £adford agreed with Or MoAodrew, and supported the motion.

Cr Benshaw said that if the Council oould hare fixed £25 for the coming year and £25 for the paat, he would ha?e supported it, but he did not think they were justified in spending £80. The matter had caused a good deal of misunderstanding, and he did not thiok it would be right to force it, aa it looked like thrasting the salary on a gentleman who had stated that he would not take one. It would be better to next time state the amount a mouth before tue election. Whjle be beliered

the Council should make an allowance, he did not think they should force- it upon a gentleman who went into the position because he stated he did not want a salary. He did not feel justified in supporting £80, but be hardly knew how to put it. Cr Wood said he had listened with pleasure to Cr McAndrew's very flattering remarks regarding Mr Brodie, as they were fully justified, and had been pat so nicely that he (Cr Wood) could not do it better. Cr McAndrew had forestalled him, as he intended saying something* to the same effect. He would support the motion, and in doing so might say that he also sympathised with Cr Bunshaw, as had he, agreed to bis (the speaker's) proposition, the matter would have been much easier. The Mayor had done well for the past year, and in addition to devoting considerable time to the office, had given great assistance to the Council, and performed the other offices appertaining to the Mayoralty in an exemplary manner. .;

Cr McGowan, in replying, expressed a hope that as Cr Benshaw was in a changeable mood, he would yet change and support the motion. The previous Mayor had not received a salary, but be bad received votes to a larger amount than this would come to. [Cr Benshaw here shook bis head.] Cr McGowan next proceeded to say that such was the case, although, Cr Eenshaw shook bis head. A sum of £25 hid been v >tf d for Mr Fraser's expenses for going to Wai wen, and £25 for the Harbor Board, which made £50. He mentioned this to show that there wag nothing new in the present proposal. The motion was then put and carried unanimously.

The Mayor thanked Crs McAndrew and Wood for their kindly remark?, and remarked that on a future occasion he would hare an opportunity of referring further to them before leaving office.