OROUA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 114, 12 April 1940, Page 5

OROUA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. At tlio monthly meeting of the Oroua County Council yesterday, Cr. A. Campbell presided. Other members present were Crs. A. B. Shannon, R. Stewart, B. AicLeod, IV. L. AlcLeiman, and T. Green. it was resolved that a letter be sent to the Labour Party expressing the sympathy of the council in the parsing of the leader the late Prime Aliniwter (Rt. Hon. AL J. Savage). Cr. Campbell paid tribute to the sincerity of Air Savage, and as a mark of respect the meeting stood in silence. A letter was received from Air B. I. Speedy and other ratepayers oil Stoney Creek" Road asking that a road drain be deepened to give an outlet to a mole drain.—Referred to the engineer and Cr. Stewart to inspect the road drain and report. The Public Works Department wrote asking that all claims for subsidies uji to March 31 be forwarded as soon as possible.—Referred to the engineer for attention Information concerning population movements in the county and also : return of building permits issued wasouglit by the Government Statistician. An invitation to councillors to he present at the unveiling of the Centennial memorial at Alt. Stewart was received from the chairman of Zone E committee (Air T. L. Seddon) and accepted with thanks. The district sanitary inspector forwarded his quarterly report. No treasurer’s report was submitted, the information regarding the finances of the county being incorporated in the annua] balance-sheet covering the financial position for the year ended March 31, 1940. The statement showed the council to be in a very sound position due, it was stated, to prudent administration and adherence to a sound policy which had characterised the activities of the council throughout its history. THE COUNTY’S FINANCES. Commenting on the balance-sheet of tlie county as submitted by Air R. L. Harding (clerk), the chairman offered his congratulations to Air Harding and the office stall’ on the prompt preparation of the statement. He said that lie had received a copy of the balance-sheet at 1 p.m. on April 1, and that, he thought, showed Die efficiency of the clerical 6taff. The county had a credit balance of over £4OOO, and it was perhaps wondered by the ratepayers why there was usually a substantial credit carried over at the end of the financial year. He explained that until the rates started to come in the council would have to work on a substantial overdrait and interest would have to bo paid if it did not have a credit balance. Alany of the ratepayers waited until the 10 per cent, penalty was about to be imposed before they paid their rates. It was to overcome the necessity for working on ail overdraft that the credit was carried over. The county was in a happy position in that its loans were being paid at fairly frequent intervals, and except for an amount of £490 16s 3d owing on the Diesel roller all the plant was paid for, and the roller would be paid for in another three instalments. The No. 17 loan of £SOOO would be paid by 1944, and another loan of £IO,OOO was due in 1946. Steps would be taken in the near future to ensure that the amount would be liquidated on the due date, lit was pleasing to record that Cr. AlcElroy was leaving the council in a very sound position, and much of the credit was due to him for the manner in which he had handled affairs. COUNCILLOR RETIRES.

The chairman announced that lie had received a letter from Cr. 0. MeElrov, tendering his resignation, after 29 years’ service, owing to failing health and his consequent inability to attend meetings. It had been a pleasure to serve under the chairman, the letter stated, and to be associated with the councillors. The county was fortunate in having such a council as that at present constituted, the ratepayers being well served. Cr. McElroy thanked Mr and Mrs Harding for their unfailing courtesy. “We cannot allow the retirement of Cr. McElroy after 29 years of service as ratepayers’ representative of the Mangaone riding to pass unnoticed,” said the chairman. “Cr. McElroy arrived in the county in 1879. A young man, he applied himself with that energy, initiative and hard and conscientious work which stamped him as a pioneer settler of whom the county is justly proud, and any success that has been bis lias been attained by peronal endeavour and determination to succeed. We at this table have a fuller knowledge of his work as councillor and how closely he has watched ratepayers’ interests; and we know how valuable has been his sound punctual knowledge of machinery and county works in general. When I joined the council in 1920 Cr. McElroy was its chairman and it was a pleasure to work under him during the following four years, after which owing to his proposed absence from the Dominion, he persuaded me to allow myself to be nominated as chairman. As ratepayers’ representative oil the Manawatu Gorge Road Board of Control. the Palmerston North Hospital Board and the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, Cr. McElroy had given good service. Ho was entitled to the l>est thanks and appreciation for his long and faithful service, “it can be truly said that be has not spared him self in service to his fellow men, and we trust his remaining years will bo pleasant and happy ones,” Cr. Campbell added. Cr. McLennan also paid a high tribute to the services of Cr. McElroy, and Crs. Green, Shannon, McLeod and Stewart associated themselves with the sentiments expressed. It was decided that the resignation be accepted with regret. At the conclusion -of the meeting the councillors paid a visit to Cr. McElroy at his residence on Halcombe Road to convey their good wishes.