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COUNCIL AND ITS EMPLOYEES.

EXTRAORDINARY NOTICE

OF MOTION

REJECTED BY THE

COUNCIL,

At last night’s Council meeting Cr Richmond moved that no officer or official of the Council who is receiving a fair living wage or salary be allowed to compete with the public directly or indirectly. This was seconded by Cr Hannah. Cr Richmond said that at a previous meeting the iown Clerk bad said that he did not have sufficient time to get through the work of the Council. He had read some, time ago in the paper that the Town Clerk had stated, when applying for an increase in salary, that he would give up all private business and the mover understood the increase asked for was granted on that condition. He had been asked by ratepayers why the Town Clerk was doing outside work in addition to that of the Council. Then in connection with the nightsoil contractor, who was receiving per annum from the Council. At the recent race meeting he had charge of the gates —thus competing with the public. All the staff employed by Mr Gardes on that occasion were engaged iu Palmerston aud meu in town were not given an opportunity of earning a few shillings. He did not think it was a right thing, hence his reason for moving the present motion. Cr Hannah endorsed the previous speaker’s remarks. Cr Coley said that if a man works for the Council and does his work faithfully and well, he didn’t think the Council had a right to say what that man should do in bis spare time. If he was working for anybody and was told that, be would certainty cell them to keep their job. Cr Speirs did not think it was right to interfere with any of the officials in their spare time. At the time Mr Fraser was appointed Town Clerk he had expressly stated that he would have to do outside work and this arrangement had been followed since. He said very few faults could be found with the Town Clerk and it was not right to tie him or anyone else down.

Cr Chrystall said he was sorry to oppose the motion brought forward by Cr Richmond, as he (Cr Richmond) had some very progressive ideas, but with this one he thought it was about 25 years too soon. Cr Whibley said he could not support the motion. He did not consider any Council or employer had the right to dictate as to what an employee should or should not do in his own lime. He was of opinion that if a man had agreed to work for an employer for a certain time, during that period the employer had a right to say what he should or should not do, but as soon as that work was completed the man should be able to do as he pleased. If an employer tried to dictate to him as to how he should spend his spare time he would at least tell him to mind his own business. As tar as Mr Gardes and the Racing Club gates were concerned, lie supposed he got them because his price was higher than the other tenderers. The Town Clerk had certainly stated at a previous meeting that he was pushed for time in which to do some of the Council’s work, but he had qualified this remark, saying that this was on account of the extra amount of Council work that had to be done at this’ time of the year. He wished them to clearly understand that he held no brief for Mr Fraser, but he was faithfully carrying out his work and that was all the Council was concerned about. If he neglected his work the speaker would be one of the first to bring him to book. Cr Adams did not think any man’s hands should be tied. His spare time was his own and surely he could do as he liked with it. The connection of the nightman with the Racing Club’s gates did not in any way interfere with the work he was doing for the Council and he did not see that they were in any way privileged to prevent that man from doing the work. With the exception of those in the Civil Service he did not know of any body of employers that prevented their employees from doing other work in their own time and even in the case of the Government employees he did not think it was right. Every man should ■be able to do as he pleased in his own time.

The Mayor said he was not going to curb the energies of any man. If an employee wanted to do other work in his own time let him do it. A man should be able to sell his labour in the best market. Complaints had been made to him that the Town Clerk was away from the office certain days in the mouth ( fo attend Education Board meetings, but he had told those who had made the complaints that they should- be pleased that this end of the district was so well represented in Education matters. The work that the town clerk was doing in this connection was a very good one. He had heard no complaints from Mr Fraser as to the amonnt of Council work he had to do. As far as Mr Gardes was concerned it must be remembered that he had to pay a certain amount of his wages away for assistance. Cr Richmond said* he did not wish to in any way retiect on Mr Fraser’s capabilities as a Town Clerk, as he rather thought he was a good Town Clerk. He had heard him say, .however, that be was rushed with work aad he had

brought the motion forward with the object of getting all his time devoted to the Council’s business, as he was getting a very good salary for a borough of the size of Foxton.

Cr Stewart arrived at this stage and at the invitation of the Mayor voiced his opinions on the motion belore the Council. He expressed surprise to see such a motion put before a Council such as the Foxton Council—as it was so much opposed to the interests of Labour. It was, in his opinion, “ Socialism gone mad ! ” The people were not all equal, they hadn’t all equal mental or physical powers and it couldn’t be expected that every man would be satisfied with the same salary. Every man should be allowed to occupy his spare time as he thought fit. The motion was put aud lost, only the mover and seconder supporting it.

THE TOWN CLERK EXPLAINS.

After the motion had been disposed of the Town Clerk asked permission to make a few remarks. He said he never told the Council he would give up all his private business. At the time referred to he had a stationery business, was agent for two insurances, and also had a house-letting agency, and when the Council built' the present offices and he found that the work was taking up a great deal more time than it had done previously, he applied to the Council for an increase in salary and said that if it were granted he would give up his stationery business, fire insurance and house-letting agency —and he did so. At that time there were no gas works or ton n hall and Councillors would understand that these enterprises have been the means of largly increasing the work. He might mention that he had received an offer of a larger salary than he was receiving from the Council, but had refused it as he did not wish to leave Foxton, where he had invested his savings in property. He did not see how he was in any way competing with the public. To Cr Hannah : A syndicate came to him and asked him to do their work, which he was now doing, but there was no competition. He had no doubt chat the man who was willing to work hard was always open to envy. As a matter of fact, instead of competing with others, he had refused work.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19130211.2.16

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1062, 11 February 1913, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,375

COUNCIL AND ITS EMPLOYEES. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1062, 11 February 1913, Page 3

COUNCIL AND ITS EMPLOYEES. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1062, 11 February 1913, Page 3

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