RETRENCHMENT AT INVERCARGILL.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 365, 13 June 1884, Page 2

RETRENCHMENT AT INVERCARGILL.

iNVEitcAaai^L, ,June, , llth,-~The ; Town Council last' night reduced the salary of.fthe; j: clerk (who; also, acts as treasurer and valuer) I from "L tOO a year to L 350. Reductions were also made in the salaries of ths inspector of nuisances, foreman of works, and engineer. t For some time past considerable feeling' has I bqen.' eviiiced in jß6^pugh /Copncil arid outside on the subject of retrenchment, and also with regard- to the Gasworks management. At last meeting f of, tjiai Council, by |' seven' t6 four, ft was resolfra' td dispense, f with the gas engineer (Mr Smith), giving him .three months' salary in lieu, of -notice. This gave great offence 1 in some quarters, «n 1 the'ground that no reason was assigned by ,t)he, majority for the action.. „ The matter, having been investigated by two committees, ' which both found slight fault' (! \kith the -engineer's management,- a;ratepayers'meeting was held to-night, the object of Which was not very definite, but would appear i o have been to ; express ' the' indignation of the citizens, at. Mr , Smith's >4i?ch«rge.. The attendance. -was very large, but'littl o _ ' satisfaction was obtained. Ttie dffqnding councillors steadfastly refused to' -be' drawn into discussion. The majority were not present. After hearing Messrs Jaggers** -Rodgers and Hatch,the following motion was carried : " That this meeting respectfully regrets: that the dignity of the town is jeopardised by the 1 some whaf unconstitutional' dismissal' by the Council of one and the unnecessary reduction of other officers in its service, and suggests that it will relegate ; .to ex-mayors ofifhd town the whole matter for a special' Report on the position." A copy of the: resolution is to be sent to the -Council. ; Out^ 1 side on the street a dray, bearing Avmat purported to be effigies of two members of the Council, was paraded about', but those in charge evidently got tired of waiting, and proceeded to the , Gasworks,- where • the figures were burned amid the shouts of a rabble of boys. The reductions made in the salaries of the Corporation servants do not. : amp.udt to a large sum. The main hope in retrenching is in, stopping ; all., but, necessary wprks jfor a few years, the Bank overdraft beiugi over Lll,ooo. |