THE PRUNING KNIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8061, 17 March 1906, Page 3

THE PRUNING KNIFE.

BOROUGH RETRENCIIMENT SCHEMES. RE-ORGANISATION OF THE STAFF. Al the adjourned meeting of the Borough Council last night,"' Hie dis'eussion on Cr Brookings motion t'i reduce the office and engineering stall' of the Borough, was continued.

Prior to the Council taking this business, the engineer, Mr E. JlarvcyGibbon, asked leave to retire, but before doing so gave u most emphatic contradiction to the rumours that he said were being freely circulated to the effect that lie had been working, or endeavouring to work, his own ends by ; suggesting certain alterations in eonjncction with the stall'. He dill not ! think any member of the Council could, lor would, attribute any - such action to j him, for lie had studiously avoided all cliques, and had not discussed the matter with any member of the Council. [ When he had had anything to say of any member of the staff, he hud done it fearlessly and in writing. The Mayor said it was due to tl e Engineer to acknowledge thai lie (the Mayor) had never been approached in the nianner suggested by the rumours mentioned, and be believed all the Councillors could say the same. Cr. Brooking said 111 'y had all heard a good deal outside. For that reason he would move that the Council go into Committee.

Cr, Wilson seconded. As there was as yet no scheme belore tlie Council he could not see bow the mallei - could be dealt with in open Council, along the proper rules of debate.

The Council divided: For open t'ouucil, the Mayor and Crs. Coilis, Stolir, Brown, and Webster; for Committee, Crs. Monteatb, Kiving, Wilson. Brooking, and Hutchen; the Mayoi gave bis casting vote in favour'of public discussion, his decision evoking applause from the foity residents and ratepayers present.

The Mayor hoped that this would not have the effect of choking discussion.

Cr Brooking was flic first speaker, ami said he would not speak as free]} as if in committee, lie outlined his retrenchment scheme to reduce the stall. The Town Clerk (with assistant and typewriter now costing £3i)o per annum) to bo appointed Borough solicitor, finding alt his office' stall', al £350 a year. He considered legal work for several years would be principally rate-collecting, and the present system of employing Borough solicitors was too expensive. He would retain tlie engineer as general and sanitary engineer, finding his own office staff at £JUO a year (present salary) thus doing away with the expense of a sanitary inspector at £ISI. It would, ho said, be inadvisable tr, attempt to run the Borough without a qualified Borough engineer. The waterworks assistant, originajly engaged as a mechanical engineer to supervise the turbines at the old waterworks, at £lO2 a yew and free house, was now doing work at tinnew waterworks that could lie done In any man, and this expense should he reduced to £l2-1 llis. Salaries of the Town Hall caretaker, at £7B, baths caretaker at £BO, cemetery caretaker, and abattoir manager and inspector, librarian .4:(50, electrical engineer £225, powerhouse engineer £l5O, and sub-station assistant al ClO-1 could not be reduced al all. He would insist thai the electrical engineer be given fjill co nrol oT the electric lighting sehcpie. (p report direct to the Council, This would mean a reduction of < * .tenses from over £2IOO per year, lo nb ut £171). He inovt'd to rc-ai'i'aiige the stall' as above. Cr. Stohr seconded, pro forma. Cr. Brooking subsequently explained th-.t lie had omitied to mention that e ;a I expenses cost the Council an average of £IOO a year, This he meant to save by his scheme,

The Mayor submitted a scheme to effect further reductions. The Borough solicitor had rcie'ved far more than £IOO a year, as he proved by figures. He co.isidcred Ihc Town Clerk, as a qualified solicit! r, quite able to act as ndvi?ur to t]ie Council, and pointed out that quite recently he bad, by bis loresight saved the Council no less than £ti>o lit would be impossible for the Clerk to do without assistance, and unfair to ask h'ln to pay for it. The Council 'might dispense with the typewriter's vices, though at present she was jli.-'y cmpbyed. The Council could ecrlainly do without an engineer, as the fi .email was fully qualified to attend lo the streets. The Council had ceased to have enough work for an engineer at £-100 a year. The waterworks assistant could be got for £ 100 a year and free house, Mr Cock concluded by apologising for framing estimates and practically dictating to the incoming Mayor. Cr Ewing urged caution—lhc Council could not finally decide this weighty question ill one evening, lie asked leave to deny that, he was, as rumoured, responsible for Cr Brooking's motion, and lacking in pluck lo bring it forward. lie bad never known the nature of the scheme until he had heard it that evening, lie denied the statement that lie desired to oust the Town Clerk, lie was there to do his duty to the ratepayers, and lo do it honestly. He hoped Councillors would submit their ideas and then adjourn for a week or so, finally deciding in committee.

Cr Collis was not sorry fliat the. matter was taken openly, as now they all knew what Cr Brooking was driving at. He inclined to the Mayor's scheme.

Cr Hutchcn suggested the amalgamation of I he positions of engineer and surveyor, sanitary and electrical engineers. Until the Couiicirsjfinances improved he thought the Mayor's honorarium of ,Cloil might lie curtailed.

Cr Stolir remarked thai "Ihe way lo retrench is to get rid of the engineer." The Town Clerk could not be reduced: he earned his money. The Clerk should retain his assistants mid net as llorotigh solicitor. Cr Brown considered the engineer could be dispensed with. The foreman was competent, or ought to lr, In superintend the sired works. The Clerk's work would increase over Ihe electric light and. water supply accounts. The sanitary inspector should not lie got rid ol': the people were thoroughly satisfied with him and his work.

IV Brooking asked Cr llutcheu In bring liis amalgamation scheme down in practical form. Tlie question was adjourned, and will conic ii]) again at the next ordinary meeting o! the Council.