THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Shall City Councillors be Paid?

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 122, 1 November 1902, Page 8

THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Shall City Councillors be Paid?

IT will be conceded that the average Wellington City Councillor fills his billet and does his duty according to his lights. He is a muoh-di*-oussed man, is assumed to be every citizen's servant, and is liable to be attacked at any moment, in any place, «a to why he did not get that path fixed up before the attacker's front door. At the same time, he lays himself open to these attacks, and voluntarily strives very hard to fill the position attached to which are no honorariums. • • • Not that the average councillor would welcome a system of payment. It may be believed, and it is certainly to be hoped, that our City Fathers are quite above oonsideraitions of lucre. We do not. quite know if there are any budding candidates for civic honours among the members of the Ratepayers' Association, but, at last Tuesday night's meeting many of them, it is hoped quite unselfishly, suggested that councillors should be paid a salary. It is obvious that the position of city councillor has been regarded hitherto as an honourable one. • • • Most of the men who compose the present Council are gentlemen who, by long residence in this city, have gained the confidence and esteem of the people. They have also been successful in business, and it is assumed that as recompense to the people for business support they are now using their knowledge of the needs and affairs of Wellington to still further its progressiveness. Councillors have not wanted salaries up to now. Councillors of other cities do not ask for a salary, and certainly the laiurel wreath of duty well done should be a sufficient reward, coupled with the honour of being chosen as the chief men of the city. • * • This is a young and a small city. Wellington should husband her resources, and it should get the best men offering to fill the honourable positions in its Council. It may be affirmed that the payment of a salary might prevent the best class of men from offering their services, and that salary business would knock the honour of the thing on the head at once. The insinuation put forward at that meeting that "if a man did not get paid he would make it up to himself in commission" casts a reflection on our Council that isi utterly undeserved. • • • It is for the general interest that the Council works, and, of course, the councillors advance as the city goes ahead. If this city commences paying its conncillorsi, why not make a roll of councillors who have held office since the proclamation of the Borough, and pay them up their back wages. Why not ask Js.P. to kindly accept a few hundreds a-year as a small token, etc. What about Road Boards, School Boards, and all those bodies, the members of which are volunteers. • • • Why do anything for your fellow-man unless he pays hard cash? Why, in short, not strip this country of every semblance of brotherly feeling and genuine helpfulness, and weigh every action in a pounds, shillings, pence balance? Why try to advance the silly old notion of public duty at all. Call tenders for places in the next Council, the men who value their services at the lowest cash price to be declared duly elected.