CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 31, 7 December 1943, Page 5

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

COUNTY OFFICES TO CLOSE CU McCIiKADVS OPPOSITION Heated criticism of the County Council's decision to close its offices over the ten-day period from Christmas Eve tiii after the New Year, was voiced 1 by Cr H. C. McCready at the meeting last Tuesday. Cr McCready claimed.' that such an action was unfair to the farmers who were meeting the rates arid financing the administration of the County, and l who in most instances were unable to take any holidays themselves. The clerk stated tliat .in most in-r stances the town firms were closing Jor that period and lie would like a ruling on the point. Cr Smith said he expected the County Council should fall in line also and close for ten days—apart from the staffs annual leave periods., "We're cutting out the December meeting becau.se we farmers arc too busy," said Cr McCready., "and yet \vc go handing out holidays right and left to our stalf. Most of us are so busy that we have no holidays at all. But still we go on and on. Where is it all going to end." The chairman: Well what's the remedy?

Cr MeCready: You know the: remedy, but we farmers haven't got it in us. The; Railway men will perhaps show us soon and we'll just go on paying lor aerodromes, for hospitals, for rehabilitation. All thesa things are hung round the neck of the man whose scratching the: soil. The debate became general Cr Hunter observing that if all councillors were like Cr MeCready, tliev would have no stall' at all. The upshot of the discussion was that the meeting decided to close the office over the period mentioned.