TOWN CLERK’S SALARY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2604, 10 July 1923, Page 2

TOWN CLERK’S SALARY.

A TANGLED POSITION ADJUSTED.

At last night’s Council meeting Cr. Smith’s notice of motion “that, the Town Clerk he granted £l9 10s per annum increase in salary, as from the Ist July, 1923,” was the cause of a lengthy discussion.

The Mayor moved the following amendment, seconded by Cr. Ross: “That the office salaries be increased by the sum of £4O per annum, aportioned as follows: The Town Clerk’s salary be increased by £2O viz. from £332 to £352 per annum; the assistant’s salary be increased by £2O per annum, viz. from £SB to £7B. The Council further resolves that the Town Hall management be carried on jointly by the Town Clerk and custodian, the Town Clerk to carry out the clerical duties. The Council further resolves that it does not wish to deprive the Town Clerk of the State Fire Insurance agency.”

The Town Clerk then read the following letter: — “As the matter of office salaries lms keen freely discussed in the absence of the individuals concerned, will you kindly give this letter consideration, before anything else is said or done. As you are aware, when I was appointed to the position certain duties were laid down, and have been carried out for my part. In December, 1920, two and a-half years ago, before the water and drainage works were commenced in earnest, my salary was set down at. £350, out of which I was to pay for any office assistance required as the Council had, I understand, previously had trouble in this direction. I accepted this basis merely in order to assure the Council that assistance would lie employed only when absolutely necessary. Soon after this, however, the water and drainage works started in full force, and assistance became imperative if the extra work involved was to be carried out properly, and to meet the assistant’s wages T took on the State Fire Agency. This state of affairs has continued to the present time, although the Council has since made two appointments to the staff, the Waterworks Foreman and a plumber, and the Council further evi- • deutly intends to enter the open market as a firm of contractors for plumbing and drainage work. I have to draw your attention to the fact that when making the latter appointment the Council made no provision for the work of keeping the books of this plumbing business, and I cannot suppose that you intend throwing this work on to a fully employed office staff. “Another matter which the Council lias overlooked or forgotten is that the Water and Drainage Loan Account contributed the sum of £l5O during the past two years towards the cost of clerical work, yet not one penny of this money ever reached the staff that earned out the work. The Council quite reasonably expects good work from the office staff, and it is not too much to expect that the Council should give fair treatment to the staff. “Although entitled to two weeks holiday in each year in common with tlie gasworks and other hranelies, I have taken no holidays since my appointment, simply because it would have entailed my having to pay for a substitute to take my place during my absence. “In order, therefore, to have matters placed on a proper and business-like footing, I propose giving up the State Fire agency and also the active management of the Town Hall, as the greater portion of this work requires attention outside the work of the office. I have also heard it stated that I receive £390 as Town Clerk, which you know is not so, £49 of this being |>aid to me as manager of the Town Hall, and although I was assured when asked to accept this latter position that it would not prejudice my ordinary salary. T find that it has done so. and I want the prejudice removed. “The Council is usually guided by tin- procedure in oilier towns when considering controversial subjects such as this one, and I hereunder set out the salaries paid in Levin. Paten and Mar ton. The information was obtained in December last: —Levin: Town Clerk £375, assistant £ll7, assistant £39; Paten: Town Clerk £360, assistant £7S. in addition to which an engineer is employed at £350 per annum; Marton: Town Clerk £350, assistant £156. “From this it will be seen that the request I now make is quite reasonable, namely, ‘That the Council pays the Town Clerk a salary of £365 per annum, less £55 received from State Fire Insurance Company, and the Assistant £7B per annum. That fourteen days’ leave annually be granted on pay as granted to the gasworks staff, etc.’

“In return for this I shall devote the whole of my time in carrying out the office duties, give up the State Fire agency and relinquish the actual management of the Town Hall, performing the secretarial work therefore as I do in the case of the gasworks. “This will afford some relief at present and the position can then be reviewed, in say, twelve months’ time.”

He also said that Cr. Bryant had stated at the previous meeting that there had been nothing but “increase, increase, increase, for the last few years.” This was not so. The only thing that had increased was the work. Crs. Walker and McMurray then moved a further amendment that;

The request of the Town Clerk for a rise in salary from £350 to £365 per annum be granted and the assistant be granted a rise in salary from 22/6 to 27/6 per week and that the Council pay the amount. The Mayor said that the Town Clerk had put the matter concisely. He would be personally hurt if they turned his proposal down. The Town Clerk’s idea would be to give him a lower net salary than he received at present and for the Council to pay for the assistant. He, personally, did not wish to deprive Mr Trueman of insurance work. Cr. Smitli said that Mr Trueman wished to drop insurance matters. Cr. Ross said that lie would vote for the amendment moved by the Mayor. It was not a question of raising the salary but of reducing the work. The Town Clerk was certainly entitled to an increase if overworked but if he was, they were no better off. Cr. Smith said that lie was opposed to the Town Clerk doing outside work. He already had plenty to do. He withdrew his original motion and moved the following amendment to the Mayor’s motion: “That the re(,uest of the Town Clerk be granted viz. £365 per annum and that the Council pay the present assistant £7l 10/- per annum; that the Town Clerk relinquish tlie Fire Insurance agency; that the Town Clerk and his assistant undertake all clerical work connected with the Borough activities. This was seconded by Cr. Walker. Cr. Smith then explained in detail the whole position. Actually by his amendment the Town Clerk would receive 7/6 a week less than at present and the Council would pay for an assistant. Cr. Walker then withdrew his amendment. ' Cr. Walker said that they would be paying £6O extra and would not b? getting any more efficient service' than they were at present. The burden should be relieved, not more wages paid. After further discussion, the Mayor’s motion was withdrawn and Cr. Smith’s amendment as the motion put and carried unanimously.