THE MAYOR’S HONORARIUM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1086, 15 April 1913, Page 3

THE MAYOR’S HONORARIUM.

INCREASED TO

At las' night' Council meeting the Mayor moved, and Cr Whibley seconded, th?t f he Mayor’s uyuorarititn be ir -eased to In speaking v. motion, the i'.over said that was not enough for the work that should be done by a Mayor, but which is now not done. He had much pleasure iu moving the motion, as he was satisfied it should be increased. There was not another borough in New Zealand of a similar size to Foxton that paid such a small honorarium. He said that he was vacating the chair at the end of the term, so that any change would not affect him.

Cr Whibley said that he had no hesitation in supporting an increase, but he thought that L 25 was hardly enough. Iu Levin, a borough of a similar size, the Mayor’s honorarium was LsoHe did not know what work a Mayor did, but he knew what he should do, and was satisfied that L 25 was hardly enough. Cr Richmond considered the matter should be left to the new Council to decide, but in any case he was opposed to any increase. The man that usually occupied the Mayoral chair was as a rule quite able to pay any expenses out of his own pocket, and he thought those who occupied the chair should do the work pertaining to the office in the interests of the people, and not for the money that was paid him. The Town Clerk said that the Municipal Corporations Act provided that any alteration in the Mayor’s honorarium could not be made to take effect during the current term, so if it were intended to make the increase during the coming term it would be necessary to make the alteration during the term of the present Mayor. The honorarium in Feilding was Lxoo, and in Palmerston L2OO, to be increased next year to L 250, and in Wellington L4OO. The amount ot the honorarium locally was a mere pittance. The Mayor's honorarium was not a reward for services, but was to protect who ever occupied the chair from any pecuniary loss in connection with the office.

Cr Chrystall said he would support the motion as he believed there was only one other borough in the Dominion—and a very small one —where the mayor’s honorarium is only Dio. Further, according to an amendment passed last session a councillor is now entitled to travelling expenses under certain conditions, but a mayor is not. Cr Coley said that if an increase were to be make the correct time to do it was the present. He would support the motion. Cr Hannah said he would support the motion. Cr BStewart said that under present conditions the office or Mayor of Foxton is practically confined to people in fairly good circumstances, those in comparatively poor circumstances being really barred from occupying the position as they cannot afford to spend the money that a mayor is usually called upon to spend. Some years ago he had been approached to contest the mayoralty, but had been forced to decline as he could not afford to spend the amount of money that as Mayor he would be expected to spend. There were many men in Foxton —working men —as well fitted to occupy the mayoral chair in equally as capable a manner as any that have previously occupied the chair. He knew there were many calls on the Mayor and D 25 was not enough, Cr Speirs said he would support the motion. He agreed that the amount proposed was not* too much, and he said be .moved a motion to make the same increase some fourteen years ago but had then failed to get a seconder. The motion on being put was carried, Cr Richmond being the only dissentient.