SPECIFIC CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20440, 19 October 1934, Page 8

SPECIFIC CASE.

Wire-pulling in Local Body Affairs. COMMISSIONER SUGGESTED. The opinion expressed by the Rev J. K. Archer. Deputy-Mayor and chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board, at the Public Administration Society’s dinner last evening that a commissioner was needed in municipal government to attend to staff appointments and promotions, is understood tc have arisen from a specific case that came before the City Council recently. Mr Archer left Christchurch for Dunedin this morning and it was not possible to obtain an elaboration of his statement last evening, but from other sources it was gathered that in the case of one vacancy on the City Council staff for an outside position, a certain amount of pressure had been brought to bear on behalf of a particular applicant. Reference to the matter was made to-day by Mr E. C. Sutcliffe, secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, who said that the City Council had under consideration the appointment of an official to an important and responsible position. There were a large number of applicants, Mr Sutcliffe continued, and it was doubtful if the applicant with the best technical and practical training combined with experience would be chosen. Men possessing the highest technical knowledge were, it was rumoured, in danger of being passed over in favour of a man who was less qualified.

Mr Sutcliffe said he strongly endorsed the Deputy-Mayor’s opinion that something should be done so that ability would take precedence over personal favour. The Labour Caucus. A man who has been closely associated with local body work for many years said that he did not think anv such appointment as that of Commissioner was necessary. “ You always get interested parties trying to move on behalf of their friends when an appointment is to be made,” he said. “ I don t think this sort of thing weighs much in the final appointment. “ I can appreciate Mr Archer’s position though.” he added. “ The appointment of a commissioner would relieve him of the dictation of the Trades Hall caucus. Only recently an important appointment was decided at the Trades Hall before it ever came before the committee appointed to consider applications. No doubt Mr Archer is chafing under th*j.” Mr T. Milliken said that he did not think the appointment necessary. A business concern made its own applications without assistance and there was no reason why local bodies could not do the same. Members of local bodies were supposed to have unbiased minds and Mr Archer’s suggestion made it appear that members of local bodies were incapable of making up their minds without being unduly influenced. (Mr Archer’s statement is reported on page 11.)