The County Chairman.

Manawatu Herald, 5 November 1892, Page 2

The County Chairman.

We were very much pleased to witness the unanimous* expression, on the part of the members ot the Manawatu County Council, 011 Wednesday, of the appreciation they held the services of "Mr Eansom, their Chairman. It is certain that Mr Eansom, during his tenure of office, has worked hard for the Council, and ably assisted by the County Treasurer, Mr Cox, has brought the finances into a remarkably clear order. The drain upon a chairman's j time is heavy, and if, as appears to be the case with Mr Eansom, the chaii'man worries over the anxieties of his office, his bed is not •" a bed of roses." It is all very well to say smooth werds to an unwilling worker. ' b«it the Council has something more ' to do. We have always held that if : a man receives a salary it should be worth having, or else his position is far wotse than having none at all. The present amount paid to Mr Hansom is absurdly small, not sufficient to call it pay, and yet preventing him claiming that his services are honorary. He disclaimed any desire for an increase, but as when asserting his desire not to seek reelection he mentioned the time lost to his own business, we hold it is not fair to ask him to make a further donation to the Council, and as that body is .in a first- class financial position, if they want him to act as Chairman again, and most rightly to, they should propose an increase in the honorarium now paid. From what fell from Councillors we believe they will be found of this mind, but ! if it is done we hope it will be grace- ; fully done by being unanimously done. We claim to have some experience of the duties of the position and can conscientiously say that one hundred pounds a year is none too much for the work expected to be performed. A n jhow we can with pleasure congratulate Mr Eansom in the high estimation he is held by his brother Councillors.