Levin Borough Council

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 January 1917, Page 2

Levin Borough Council

•ORDINARY FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. Levin Borough Council held an ordinary fortnightly meeting last might. The mayor (Mr 0. Blekhorn) presided, and there also were .present CcoincilIr.rs F. M. Herrick, J. Harvey,. S. .lor.es,' John Robertson, A. Dempsey, and H. B. France. Anderson and Co. wrote regarding a 10-t>cn road-roller lately imported. They mentioned that the roller was lor fate u« t- a- price much below what futuro cost would be for imported rollers. A bonus of £6 was received from the L'ublic Trustee, being money out of Ju-olits made by the' Pub! : c Tt n-st* Office on business'done with clients. Otaki Town Board asked for a quotation for .supply of COO gallons -of tar. The council decided that it could use pi! -C'fita-blv itself all the tar it bad on hand. IiYDRO-ELECTMCITY. Palmers ton North Chamber of Commerce wrote regarding the need for •speeding-up the -Government scheme i-or- supp'iv of electric power (hydro) to the district from Wellington tp Warvganui exclusively (and Manawatii district especially). Councilor France thought ian encouragitiig reply should be sent; the matter was of very great importance to the district. Councillor Harvey _ thc-ii-glit the scheme would be of benefit to the disIriet; he had been told by a. Public Wo-rks officer that the cost- of supply was likCiv to be low. In Cliristdiurch the electric supp'y was a great success. Councillor Robertson thought that the importance of the thing was not the risk of the borough gasworks or water-supply being supplanted; though that fear had been expressed; the council should regard the -possibility cf the scheme -attracting manufacturers to this borough which was .on the ma,in lino, close to Wellington, and tjiiito'a desirable place, for manufacturers. The mayor -sand he wars in favor of supplying the information asked for; the council should be open-minded in the matter. In the course of a- general discussion varying views were expressed -as to what the cost per unit would work out at. They varied fisom "b'eilow 1 twopence per unit" to "much more."

On the suggestion of the mayor Councillors Robertson and Harvey undei took to frame a reply' to the circular letter of the Pialinersbon Chamber c.-f Commerce. WAR PROFITS AXD SOLDIERS' PAY. A letter from Petone Bocougli Council farorin.g the giving of extra pay to New Zealand soldiers and the conscription of wealth .was* read. Councillor Robertson supported the proposal: it seemed to him that when life was being conscripted it was but fair to conscript wealth; in fact the conscription of wealth should como first. The mayor'said the proposal amounted to an invitation to the council to stcpi into the grounds of national politics. Councillor Robertson : The council has done it before, regarding recruiting, etc. The mayor: That was by request of the authorities. Councillor Franc© said he was in favour of the principle set out in the letter, hut he thought such matters should be left to the Government. Councillor HcinTck agreed; it Would bu presumption on the part of a little borough' council to dictate to the the CTovernment. • . Councillor Dcinpsey said it might* be presumption to dictate to the Government, but ho wished to say: that if, the Government had shown a sincere desire to> safeguard the interests of the public, he would have been content to leave such matters to the Government. Put the Government had not done so. The time seemed to be close upon us when married men would have, to go to the Avar, .and who could say that os or 7s per day was sufficient for a married man to receive? The mayor: Have you"any idea how much our. National Debt is increasing? Councillor Dempsey: It would not increase our National Debt a penny piece; if the thing were tackled in the right- way the necessary money could be raised from war 'profits that are pouring into New Zealand. To a proposal that the letter merely be ' 'received"— Councillor Robertson moved as an amendment "That Levin B-orough Council endorses the resolution of the ' Petone Borough Council." He said that all the amendment would amount to was a .request to the Government to do its duty. The National Government was not sacrosanct; it had been kept up to its duty in regard to national pensions and other matters chiefly by expressions of public opinion. It was not fair to ask tlio men at the frontto bear all the loss; they should be paid a fair living wage, the money to be paid by the men who were at home making money out of the suffering and bloodshed that was being undergone for the empire. The mayor said he could not' see much in the argument. The men who had volunteered had done their duty ; the men did not consider their vohm-; teering as a sacrificei, but as a pleasing duty. The majority of the men, when they came back" after a twoyears' campaign would bo betted' off than over they had been in theu«Jives , before. Councillor Dempsey: That's because they; are compelled to save. The mayor: Yes. " As to war profits what are thoy ? Oounoilllor Robertson: Last year they were £9,000,000. The mayor: "That's not enough; that shows the futility of the conten-

tioiii; the cost of the war is £1,000,000 month, and you are 'asking us to ■double it. Councillor Robertson demurred. To double .tlib men's pa.yt did not mean doubling the total cost; tlio price of food and clothes and the amount of subsidy to the Union S.S. Co. would not bo doubled. The mayor said the council was nine mon entitled to the individual opinions it had 1 expressed, but the mem'bors ihiad no right to express as the Levin Borough Council what purported to be the opinions of the burgesses of Levin 'Mi tliis national >n witter. Councillor France said the council should stick to its own business; this matted - was outside its province; tliero was a., tendency in these days for democracy to run mad. The amendment was seconded byi • Councillor Dempsey, and declared lost .by five vctes to two. The letter was received. HOSPITAL MATTERS. Intimation; was received that four councillors of the Horowhenua. County Council had.s bean appointed to confer with 1 tli» T.tfvin Borough Council as /to the beet mean® to l adopt for securing severance of Horowhenua Coun,ty from Wellington Hospital District. It. is regarded as likoly that Wellington Hospital .Board will be favourable (now) to severance, inasmuch as Otaki Sanatorium has been taken over by the Gweramenb'. The mayor thought it would be well to allow Mi' iGardeneir to continue biiis good work in this matter. The mayor said that Councillor Robertson and Mr 'Gardener might bo the council's represetatliv.es to meet the Horowhenua County Council and Otaki Town Board r/presantatives ttn (conference, to devise a scheme for obtaining sepearation.

The mayor's suggestion was agreed to. GAS MANAGER'S REPORT. The gas manager reported l that all matters :in connection with the municipal gasworks had gone on satisfactorily during the month. MONEY MATTERS. The tow"n clerk reported that rates, etc., had been' coming in .Weill since the New Year began. Exclusive of cemetery fees and so forth, a total of £472 hiad been paid in fifteen days. Since Ist April last a total of £1000 had been taken in rates. There was £2000 needing to be paid before tho 31st March.