BOROUGH STAFF.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18652, 2 June 1932, Page 6

BOROUGH STAFF.

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. OVERSTAFFING ALLEGED. The opinion that the borough council engineering department was overstaffed, was expressed by Cr. W. W. Dillicar at the meeting of the council- last evening. Cr. Dillicar said the department cost £6O a week or £lO a day in salaries. What was the council getting for -such an expenditure? No big works were going on. The speaker advocated that the services of one of the members of the staff should be dispensed with. •Cr. C. Lafferty supported the contention that the department was overstaffed, but -considered that -the proposal for the dismissal of one of the staff should be held over until after the estimates.

"What is the -council coming to?” asked the Mayor, Dr. F. D. Pinfold. “A report on the -subject is to be considered later and yet we have had councillors here -speaking from prepared notes beforehand In open council. It Is disgraceful and I have no hesitation In saying so.” Cr. Lafferty denied having prepared notes, and contended that the question had been wrongly brought up. The deputy-Mayor, Cr. A. J. Denz, said -the salaries worked out at only one-eight of a penny for each person in Hamilton. Cheap engineering was false economy as experience In New Zealand 'had amply shown. One calmity through it might oost more than an engineer’s salary for a year. Cr F. 11. Clapham contended that it was sound business policy that a head should -have a right hand -man.

The chairman of the Works Committee, Cr. W. Bourne, maintained that the discussion was out of order. A report had been tabled and the engineer would advise the council whan he could dispense with any one.