PAYMENT OF COUNCILLORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 297, 11 September 1919, Page 5

PAYMENT OF COUNCILLORS

REMIT BEFORE THE MUNICIPAL .. ;. ASSOCIATION. A remit from the Christchureh 'City Council was placed before the annual conference of the Municipal Association yesterday urging, that councillors should Teceivo ■ payment for their • services. The remit was. as follows: "That a borough council may from time to time vote 'and pay to' each councillor, exclusive of ..the Mayor, a fee not exceedine &X Is. in respect of each attendance at a'meeting of the- council, or standing committee of which'he shall be a member',': provided . that no councillor shall be entitled to reoeive payment if respect of any such meeting unless he is present at'the! time appointed for the holding of such meeting or. within fifteen minutes thereafter, and no councillor shall be entitled to be paid or receive a greater sum than £5i 12s. during, any year of office.": '. .

Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P.,. (New Lynn Town Board), said ■ he' considered the .time had come when they should consider seriously the payment of reasonable 1 remuneration to busy men who gave up their time to the public service, whether •it be in Parliament or a bor-. 'ough council. In cities like Wellington and Auckland the councils conducted large trading concerns, .and the men who devoted their time to the. conduct of those concerns should receive some remuneration. "It is all very well .that we should expect councillors to 6erve for the honour and glory of the thing," added Mr. Parr,' "but we have, got past'that stage. Surely the'ratepayers or the'democracy do not expect service foe nothing from these men."

■ Miv J. A. Nash, M.P. (Mayor of Palmerston North), moved an amendment to insert the word "shall" instead '■ of "may." . If reasonable remuneration were paid, he said, good men would be induced to come forward and serve the public, and bettor service would be obtained. • Mr. Parr: I don't like to make it compulsory on ,6mail boroughs. ' Mr! E. P. Rishworth (Mayor of Lower Hutt) opposed the amendment on the ground that some small boroughs might not be able to make payments to councillors. Therefore, it was unwise to make the payment compulsory. Miss E. Melville (Auckland. City Council) said that tho passing of the motion would not mean necessarily that counoils would have to pay .councillors a fee of ■£1 Is. In a large oity, such as Auckland, perhaps tho fees received by the councillors at the rate of £\ Is. per member would exceed the rates. (Laughter.) Mr. S. Andrew (Feilding Borough Council) did not ,see that tho time had arrived to pay councillors for their services. Mr. B. G. H. Burn (Mayor of Karori) opposed the idea of payment, .as small boroughs would not bo in a position to meet the cost. The honour of the position would bo sufficiently attractivo to induce good men to como forward. Mr. Burn could not see the necessity for the stipulation in the remit regarding Mayors, for some Mayors did not receivo an honorarium. Tho Hon. ,T. Barr, M.L.O.' (Mayor of Sumner), said that to adopt tho principle of payment would bo a democratic move, but the payment must be optional. Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P. (Mayor of Wellington) said ho would not bo honest if ho did not publicly testify to the great sacrifice of time made by the members of the Wellington City Council.. The remit, he was sure, would "have a good run." On being put to the vote, both the amendment and the remit wero lost, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast."—Pore. Lost hope through a loDg lasting cold returns aftor tho first dose of Baxter's Lung Preserver. It is littlo short of marvellous in the way it'remedies and protects against future, attacks. 2s. 6d. buys large bottlo at Chemist or Store.-Advt. Changeable weather produces colds Thoy are quickly relieved by "NAZOL." This remedy is equally efficacious for younjr, wW, f* miMe-aged persons.-Advt.