The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY LEVIN. TUESDAY. MAY, 25, 1915. APPLICANTS TO STATE SALARY REQUIRED."

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 May 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY LEVIN. TUESDAY. MAY, 25, 1915. APPLICANTS TO STATE SALARY REQUIRED."

lUK tag a.bove-ujioted appears on the advertisement in which the Horowhenua County Council invites applications I'iii - iho post of temporary clerk to the Council. It its a regrettable act on the part of a loefll body t<j endeavour to obtain at the lowest possible cost the services of a thoroughly competent man —for there is no doubt the council requires that cJass ol assistance. When a private emp.loyer acts in this way his action in the earnse of adverse comment by all who woiyh-up correctly the hiiisiiii'tifi ethics mid the ultimate effects of such a procedure: but such judgments always are offset by the bcliof that those who resort to these means of sweating needy applicants are impelled thereto by liiiancial stringency of their own affairs. Xo such plea is available for a public body: if its finance is embarrassed the cause*, always come under one of two headings : they consist in wasteful expenditure or insufficient rating or niavbe a

conglomerate The Hoixywhenu'a County Council is understood to bo dubious as to whether it is justified in continuing to pay the salary drawn by the present County Clerk, who is lon.viiiK his ]>ofit. (temporarily) to servo his country on the field o-f war. Those who know the :pulse of the corporate and incorporat-c employers of labour with any degree of certitude know full well that a salary once reduced i« deeply embedded in the lower stratum. and viewed in this light there is no comfort in the prospective outlook for any professional man employed on salary iwho may be eontemplatin.ee leaving his employ to prove his patriotism. If tlie County Council is bent upon making a reduction in the salary to he paid to the aetin.Ej-County Clerk it should make perfectly clear its perspective that terminates in the time -when the present holder of tho office shall return to his duties. Are the councillors prepared to say unenuivocally that when that day comes the Ralary of the acting c,lork -will not ne made reason for reduction of the usalary now paid? The. councillors are entitled to their opinions, whatever they may he : the ratepayers are entitled to know what these opinions arc And. further, the council should stipulate what salary it is prepared to pay to the act-ins clerk. Tf £3 per •weeik is the council's idea of the value of the services to be given it can offer that amount. Cheap la.hour generally is dear labour: and. when really good labour is obtained too cheaply the results often are seen first and clearest hv a Government auditor.