THE TOWN CLERK’S SALARY.

Kumara Times, Issue 693, 17 December 1878, Page 2

THE TOWN CLERK’S SALARY.

At the last sitting of the Borough Council, amongst the inward correspondence read and received was u letter from the Town Clerk and Surveyor relative to the reduction of Ins salary on the grounds of the depressed state of the Council's exchequer. As we have previously published the motion and discussion relative thereto, we now give publicity to the Town Clerk’s Utter on the subject, as it will affrrd the ratepayers some information regarding the financial position of the Borough daring the ensuing year ; To His Worship the Mayor and the Borough Councillors. Gentlemen—As the discussion on Cr. O’Hara’s motion in reference to my engagement with the Council is to be resumed to night, I respectfully beg to be allowed to make a few-remarks on the subject, feeling that if I refrained from doing so and allowed the Council to come to a decision without putting certain facts before them, they might, with some reason, blame me for my reticence. The motion is really one of dismissal, as although it is proposed that, subsequently to the dismissal, a committee should bring up a report recommending terms on which my services should be retained, it does not foil i.v that the terms would be such as I coal-.I accept. Viewing therefore the motion os simply ;m<- of < I ism Usui, I would

ask the Council to consider Whether! under the. circumstances of the appoint; ment and iii the 'absence of any charge of neglect df duty or other bad cortduct on my part;, they cab pass such k motion; Applications for the appointment were in : vited from all parts of the Colony., the salary beings stated) clnd I was chosen iron! thirteen candidates: Had any .Other of the candidates been choseri aiio, he had broken up an establishment and biiSiiiessj aay in Auckland or Dunedin) fee come here, he Would haVe had a right td consider the engagement a permanent one during good conduct, and to have claimed damagesfor wrongful dismissal in the event of such a resolution as that before the Council being carried* And I cannot see how the fact of my having beerl resident in the Borough can affect the dUse, as I have had to give up my private practise and to lay out three times the amount I have received from the Council, in mulring a permanent- home* s It has been said that the serving 0 f a Town Surveyor could be dispensed with; 1 as the town has been surveyed and drained and the streets formed. In reply to this i I may state that although the general; 1 levels of the town have been taken, the' I detailed levels and surveys necessary for j draining, forming streets <6c., have’ only been taken where such works hav'd' actually been carried out* That out of the whole length of the streets, only 15 chains have been formed or contracted for* and that the drainage, although well commenced is only commenced, as , would 'be painfully apparent but for the constant/ ram this summer, which has kept the town washed and presented the effluvium whifch would otherwise have arisen from Stagnant water and filth. In addition to the ordinary duties of Borough Surveyor, I am now engaged by desire of the Council, in perfecting plans for the supply of water to the town at high pressure, and as the Borough has of will soon acquire 2000 acres of reserves', I shall no doubt be required to survey the same and cut them up into available sections for disposal. It has also been said that the Borough Revenue is falling off, and there will be . no money to expend in public works.- I think a few figures will shew that there in no ground for such a statement. During the first year of the Borough’s existence it has had no subsidy from the Government, .. It will in future receive a subsidy of pound for pound on the rates, amounting during the coming year to £445* The Borough’s proportion of the purchase money of the town sections ' about to be sold by the Government, may be estimated at £4oo*l' ’ During the first year it has had the following exceptional expenditure to meet | Payment to Road Board, with ex- £ i .penses ... 25 0 j Purchase of Town Hall ~* 400 ; Preparation and Printing Bye-l»Ws, iS l - ... ■-.*,■ - is(r-Fitting-up offices, safe,' &0.... • .50 Cemetery—fencing and dealing J, 3 Off This, added to the subsidy and land fund ... ... ... 8& Makes a total of .„ ... . £lß6s’’ , __ If against this is set a possible (though hi my opinion not probable) falling off in Rites and licenses of, say £000, : there will l still be a sum of £1265. for expenditure t I on works during the next year, in excess • of the amount available- during the past year. Although I feel it my duty for the’above reason, and because I consider the tion of the proposed course of' action? A would cast an unmerited shir upon me to ' protest against either dismissal or reduction of salary, I shall be - most happy to assist the Council in reducing the departmental expenditure to the lowest amount | consistent with efficiency, and with , this i view I shall be prepared if the Council wish it, to undertake the collection 6f 'the :! rates. This will I think be equivalent to a reduction of expenditure of at least £lso' per annum, as the commission will be saved, and by adopting a more systematic , mode of collection, a larger amount of , I votes will be recorded, and consequently & I larger amount of subsidy will be received from the Government, I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, James Wylm' Town Clerk, Borough Surveyor, &Ci ■ Deccember 12th, 1878, >' >