ANNUAL MEETING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 164, 24 May 1940, Page 5

ANNUAL MEETING

WHAKATANE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN'S REPORT REDUCTION IN RATES ANNOUNCED The annual meeting of the Whakatane County Council was held on Wednesday. The acting-Chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, was in tlie chair and those present were Councillors A. F. McGougan, ,L. W. Luxton, W. A. MeCracken, H. C. MeC ready, R. F. Wardlaw, C. T. Smith, D. Spence T. (J. H. Cawte, and F. J. Burt, the Clerk, Mr C. G. Lucas, and the Engineer, Mr C. H. Brebner. In summarising the activities of the Councillors over the last year, Mr Burnett referred firstly to the leave of absence granted to Mr Cliff McCulloeh, who was County Chairman until being called up for service with the Navy, and also referred to the loss the County had suffered in the death of Mr Walter Reid, Chairman for many years. Mr Burnett then dealt briefly with costs as affecting county activities and said that though there had been a rise the works had been carried out with a minimum of inconvenience. There had been an increase in the Native rate collection and Mr Burnett expressed the hope that it could be maintained. The acting-Chairman said that the balance-sheet disclosed a very sound linancial position, and he hoped that it, too, would continue. Other matters referred to by Mr Burnett included hospital levies, this being, lie said, a question for serious consideration, the Centennial and the County's efforts attaching to its commemoration. "During the coming year Rural Housing will be one of the major items for the Council's attention," continued the Chairman. He said that £3693 had been spent on "new plant and £2244 on ragwort eradication. , Mr Burnett continued with an expression of appreciation to theccou- t cillors for the co-operation and assistance which had helped him to j carry out the tasks associated with j his position. He also offered congratulations to the two executive | members of the Council, Mr C. G. Lucas and Mr C. H. Brebner, and j thanked them for tlieir help.

"Since we had the Finance Committee meeting on Friday* we have been fully into the posi tion and I am happy to say that a small reduction in rates is , possible," concluded Mr Burnett. "It is not very much but still, it is a reduction. We are about £1,000 to the good in Native f rate collections and it is I right that this money should go back to the ratepayers. I'm sure you will have no objection to granting a reduction in the rates of in the £.'* Mr Burnett then vacated the chair and the Clerk called for nominations for County Chairman. In proposing. Mr Burnett, Cr McCracken said it was impossible to how long Mr McCulloch would be away and Mr Burnett w r as well fitted for the position of County Chairman. Seconded by Cr Burt, it was put to the meeting and carried. Mr Burnett expressed thanks for the nomination, saying that he ap--preciated the remarks made. He realised that at the present time it would be a difficult position and would rather that someone else had taken it on. Fortunately, he said, he had had the time to spare for County interests. The two Committees of the Council were evened up with Cr McGougan's transfer to the Works Committee, which now has five members, six councillors constituting the Finance and General Purposes Committee. The Chairman's honorarium was fixed at £100, being tlie same as last year, and travelling expenses to meetings are additional.