PURELY A JOKE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 452, 6 September 1928, Page 8

PURELY A JOKE

MUSEUM PRESIDENT’S MYTHICAL SALARY

SPEAKER “PUTS IT OVER”

When Mr. S. I. GoodaM decides to have a little joke at the ex. pense of members of the Mourn Roskiil Road Board on Tuesday evening, he did not intend that his remarks should be accepted seriously and to the letter. Unfortunately, it is difficult to cop. vey a tone of banter in cold prm. with the result that the report 0 - Mr. Goodall’s verbal frivolity misconstrued. When a motion that the boarshould withdraw its opposition to tL. Auckland War Memorial Maintenanct Bill came before the meeting, jft Goodall contended that out of a lun„ sum of £2,600 for salaries, the pre,,\ dent was to receive £I.OOO a year and he would like to know more aboothat phase of the question. Until was satisfied on this point he wonlc oppose the measure. Mr. Tansley said that Mr. H. e. Vaile was a wealthy man, and the board had a right to know what duties he would undertake in return for at. honorarium of £I.OOO a year of ratepayer's money. In actual fact, it has never beet suggested that the president or ant other member of. the council of the War Memorial Museum should receive any payment whatever for the duties they perform. The reason for Mr Goodall's remarks was explained to The Sun this morning by Mr. Vaile. -The whole thing.” said Mr. Vaile “was a joke. At a previous meeting the museum control was being die cussed in the course of a chat, and 1 remarked in a joking spirit. ‘Of cours, I will get £I.OOO a year out of it." “The gentleman at the meeting os Tuesday evening evidently decided to carry on the joke. He was with enough to do it. and deserves to bt commended for his skill in putting it across. “However, the only people whwould take the suggestion serious! are those who never do anything lor nothing themselves, and cannot under stand why anyone else should do so."