New Britain herald., 1915-02-10

 ing last evening. voted to recommend to the common council an increase of S120 instead of So20 as requested. in tho salary of Assistant Sanitary In spector O'Brien to report in favor or increasing the salary of the clerk of the board of assessors from S1oO to $90O and to ta ble a resolution for an increase of $4O0 in the plumbing in- srectors salary. The committees further decided to report to the coun- cil that Deputy City Clerk Harry liar sleaves had withdrawn his petition for an increase from Sl.2Oo to S1.5oO. and appointed committee to consult the corporation counsel re- sarding a letter dealing with the city salary list which had been received from Chairman C. IT, Baldwin of the City hall commission.
 Clerk of Assessors Board.
 The resolution of Miss Pauline Richards. clerk of the board of as sessors was first considered. Upon the motion of Councilman Coyle As scssors Otto Rengtson and August Burkhardt were given a hearing on the matter. Mir. Burlhardt said that a year ago. Miss Richards had sent in a similar petition, but, that owing to thc fact that the assessors also asked for a aise at that time. it was turned dcWn. Mir. Burkhardt explained that the clerk of his beard was very com potent in performing her duties which are as difficult if not more so. than those attended to by any other clerks on the floor. He did not think that she was receiving fair compen- Sation for such eXacting and accurate work as is required in the assessors cf7ce. He offered to go out and get tho books usesd in the office. and there was a brief recess while he did SO. Upon his return he explained thoroughly what was required of Miss Richards. He told that a male clerk is employed in the Hartford assessors office hut by virtue of the fact that he has number of assistants, his work is lighter than that which Miss Richards performs. Even so, he gets a salary of $1.5Oo
 It was the opinion of Assessor Otto Bengtson that the petitioner has the most important clerkship in the City hall. He could not remember a. single instance in which she has erred dur ing the eight or nine years she has held the position and believed that the petition for an increase was justi- fled.
 O'Rrien'S Petition for $1.OOO.
 Upon the motion of Councilman Conlin, the petitions of the board of health were heard before action was taken on Miss Richards petition. The request of the assistant sanitary inspector for an increase of from s7s0 to Sl,ooo was first read, and then Health Superintendent T. F.. Reeks was given an opportunity to voice his sentiments
 Dr. Reeks told that Mir. O'Brien mas been with the health department for four years and Is becoming very valuable to that body. When the new health board began duties he was receiving SIP a week as salary from the health board and $3 week from the common council for inspecting dumps and doing work of that ma ture when called upon. The new board found it necessary to ask for the entire time of this employe. and as a consequence, the council decided that his salary was to be $15 week. ly. There is some misunderstanding among a number of the council mem- bers, the doctor said, regarding this matter, and some are of the opinion that MT. O'Briens salary has just been raised. This is not true Tn the doctors words, the $15 which the assistant inspector receives is a "mere pittance'' for job of the kind that he holds. He explained that in Hartford a similar city employe re- ceives $1,600 a year and. that in ad- dition to that, the city has upon it's payroll four other assist ants one of whom gets $500 annually. another S1,1O0 and two others wno are just breaking in $500 each.
 Worth $25 to ,$3O.
 Dr. Reeks said that MT. O'Brien is