MUNICIPAL PICTURES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1206, 10 February 1914, Page 3

MUNICIPAL PICTURES.

THE OPERATOR’S SALARY. COUNCILLORS’ CRITICISM. At a recent special meeting of the Borough Council matters in connection with the running of pictures at the Coronation Hall were fully discussed in committee and it was decided to put the operator on a different footing to that which had previously existed. The new arrangement suggested was that Mr McArtuey should be paid at the rale of week, for which sum he was to do the operating, cleaning and all work required in connection with the hall during the summer months and in the winter to have the assistance of a cleaner. This offer was made to Mr McArtuey and at last night’s meeting a letter was read from him declining the terms and offering to accept £\ 73 6d per week provided he had an assistant all through the year for the cleaning, Mr McArtuey was present and at the invitation of the Mayor made a statement regarding the work at the hall. He said there was a great amount of work of which Councillors appeared to be unaware of. He admitted that during the summer months the work was not as heavy as in the winter. During last winter he had averaged 16 hours per day at the hall and there was also a good deal of Sunday work. The hall was let tor dancing every Friday night and this meant that he was kept iip until three o’clock in the morning attended to the engine and lights and then had to work until n o’clock the following night with the pictures. Some people were under the impression that the programmes on arrival in Foxton were ready to put on the machine, but this was not so, there often

being a good two hours work before the films were ready for screening. The engine and dynamo also took up a good deal of time, duties that an operator in other towns was not called upon to do, there being an enginedriver engaged. He had ascertained that there was no other operator in the Dominion lint was running the whole plant as he was doing. While in Auckland recently he bad gone round the -operators and found that none were receiving less than per week and those running continuous shows 10s per week. ' Cr Coley : Have you worth of your owu appliances in use at the hall ? No ! And I never said I had. Cr Coley : 1 never knew he used any gear but what belonged to the Council, but he made a statement to another party that he had. I would also like to know how he put in 16 hours a day. In reply to Cr Chrystall Mr McArlney said he would be willing to accept 7s 6d per week if a cleaner were employed all the year round. Cr Speirs asked what work the assistant cleaner did and Mr McArtney pointed out that his duties were laid down by the Town Clerk. He assisted in shifting seats. Cr Henderson said that he was no doubt the person referred to by Cr Coley. What McArtney had said to him was that he would not take for some duplicate parts that he had. Mr McArtney explained that he had a fan on the machine, an idea of his own, and that he had told Cr Henderson that he would not take for it. In reply to Cr Coley Mr McArtney denied having said that when he left he would leave the machine so that no one else would be able to work it. What he did say was that no one else would be able to show as good pictures with it, but that would be on account of the new operator not having his patent ian. Cr Speirs said 16 hours a day was too long for any man to work and asked how often it was necessary to work these hours, Mr McArtney said it happened almost every day in the winter as the hall was practically always in use. Cr Whibley asked what the assistant caretaker was going to do if his services were not required at the hall during the summer months. The Mayor said that was a matter for careful consideration. Mr Knewstub had stated that he would only be prepared to continue on the conditions at first laid down. Cr Speirs suggested that, if necessary, his wages could be made up to the amount specified

by work on the roads. Cr Chrystall believed the best way to settle the matter would be to rescind the motion passed at last meeting and,let things go on as formerly until the end of the year. McArtney had been a valuable man, and he, for one, didn’t want to lose him. The Mayor said that McArtney’s average wages for the past si? months vyorked out at 6s §d per week, and this was for two pigbt’s opeiating per week. They were now offering him 7 s $d per week, and at this to have a call on him at any time, so that it really amounted to a reduction in wages. The position was that there was a difference between the Council and Mr McArtney of half a year’s cleaning, and he would be in favour of accepting McArtney s offer. He was a tried servant, and an expert in this particular line, and bis services were worth retaining. The ball had been run to perfection, aud be considered it would be a risky business to turn • out a good man for a matter of 10s per week for six months, and . chance getting another man who would not carry out the duties

i±i_ll-u_Lmjjjm Imi 1 in* <i ■ 1 iTtwnrMwriMrrfmTr^ anywhere near as well as MoArtney had done. He thought that under the circumstances, and while McArtuey was giving satisfaction,

it was good policy to leave matters as they were. Cr Coley said that the house rent free brought McArtney’s wages up to £<\ 15 s a week, and this was more than a lot of operators were getting, and their employers didn’t get as much backbiting as was the case here. McArtuey bad told him that he had been offered £\ 10s in Auckland, and that he was going to accept it, If he did, the pictures would go on just the same. Cr Whibley said this trouble had been brought about through attempting to alter conditions that had been existing ever since the picture show was commenced. He didn’t think McArtuey was being paid too much. However, he wouldn’t care to talk about a man that employed him in the manner in which McArtuey talked

about the Council, or it he did be would know what to expect, and that would be that his services were no longer required. McArtney, however, said one thing and meant another. It was his failing, and he couldn’t help it. Cr Henderson said there was a great deal in what Cr Whibley had said. It was no doubt a failing of McArtney’s that he couldn’t help. To give him his due, however, he deserved credit for the manner in which he attended to his duties. Cr Speirs suggested leaving further consideration of the matter over until they had a full meeting. The Mayor agreed that this would be the best course, existing conditions to continue until finally dealt with by the Council. Cr Chrystall afterwards gave notice to move that the motion passed at the recent special meeting in reference to this matter be rescinded.