OPOTIKI FINANCES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 464, 23 February 1933, Page 6

OPOTIKI FINANCES

MAYOR PERSISTS IN MOTION FOR REDUCTION IN EXPENDITURE COUNCIL UNSYMPATHETIC Opotiki, Wednesday. At Tuesday night's meeting of the Opotiki Borough Council, the Mayor, Mr. J. T. Thompson, promoted a discussion on the council's fitiancial position when he moved that the council consider ways and means of reducing expenditure. Cr. Tabb, who seconded the motion pro forrna, pointed out that the matter had already been discusred very fully. He could not understand why the mayor persisted in bringing it up. Cr. Budd suggested that the motion cast a slur on those councillors vho had been on the council for the ast four years, and in view of the fact that the matter had again been brought up, he prop-osed to hand certain figures to the Press to publish in order to show how expenses had been already reduced. He repeated that he considered the motion cast a slur on the efliciency and intelligence of the councillors. Cr. Tabb: And on his worship. Cr. Maine asked the mayor to. explain just how he would reduce the expenditure. His Worship suggested that tenders be called. • Cr. Hitchens pointed out that present council would be out of office before the tenders could be considered. Cr. Maine suggesv.ed that his Worship should retire from his present position and become a politician as he might be able to reduce the taxation. His Worship wa-, the only supporter of the motion. The figures quoted by Cr. Budd showed that fixed charges had been as f ollows for the past four years: 1929-39, £2223 1930-1, £2428; 1931-2, £2520; 1932-3-, £2328. Over the sarne period the balance left for general purposes had been: 1929-30, £2395; 1930-1, £1623; 1931-2, £855; £1932-3, £735. Cr. Budd pointed out that the drop from £2395 in 1929-30 to £735 in the present year, represented very substantial economies and did not justify the attitude talcen up by the mayor. ► - - « .