County Chairman Re-Elected

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 3, 2 December 1947, Page 5

County Chairman Re-Elected

Successful Year Of Work Reviewed Mr J. L. Burnett was reelected chairman of the Whakatane County Council at the annual meeting on Friday. The following committees were elected:—Works: The Chairman and Crs R. C. Leslie, D. C. Butler, A. F. McGougan, R. F. Wardlaw, D. T. Allan and J. Wilson. Finance and General Purposes: The Chairman and Crs L. W. Luxton, W. Hunter, K. L. Caverhill and W. M. Clark.

The usual grant in lieu of travelling expenses (travelling expenses to meetings additional) of £IOO was voted to the chairman for the coming year.

Moving that Mr Burnett be reelected, Cr L. W. Luxton said few m the County could realise to the full the magnitude of the job, and the County was particularly fortunate in having a man of Mr Burnett’s calibre available, but. he agreed with a previous remark by Cr D. C. Butler that the grant of £IOO was not nearly sufficient compensation for the cost of the job. Seconded by Cr W. Hunter, the motion was carried unanimously and with applause. Returned to the chair, Mr Burnett thanked his colleagues for their continued confidence in him, and assured them of his unfailing interest in the affairs of the County. Chairman’s Report Presenting his annual report, Mr Burnett said finances were in a very healthy condition, and ratepayers were to be congratulated on a record percentage of collections. The year had finished with a credit balance of about £19,000, despite the fact that expenditure on roading had been £22,000 as against £14,000 collected in rates. Here he praised the clerk, Mr C. G. Lucas, for his contribution, by his efficiency and devotion to duty, to the general soundness of the County’s position.

Soldier Settlers Touching briefly on soldier s ftlements, Mr Burnett said that these were proving a solid asset in the community, and the Council’s duty would be to see that those new settlers had adequate access for the products of their farms. Heavy Engineering Year In the engineering department there had been quite a heavy year, Mr Burnett persued, some idea of the magnitude of the works and their cost being given by the fact that between £12,000 and £13,000 had been spent on wages for Outside staff. It had been the Council’s policy to try to mechanise the works department as much as possible and that would need to be carried on because the necessary works were beyond the capacity of the manpower available., Bouquets To Staff The native rate collector had had another very successful year, Mr Burnett went on. He also expressed appreciation of> the work of the County Inspector, Mr* A. Carling and concluded with special thanks to the two chief executive officers, Messrs C. G. Lucas (clerk) and C. H. Brebner (engineer) and their staffs, as well' as to the Councillors who had been associated with him in the term just ended. Both Crs D. C. Butler and A. F. McGougan, who sponsored the motion for the adoption of the report, paid glowing tributes to Mr Burnett’s work as well as to that of the clerk and engineer.