HEATED WORDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1038, 31 July 1930, Page 12

HEATED WORDS

HAMILTON COUNCILLORS AT VARIANCE From Our Oxon Correspondent HAMILTON, Today. Heated words were exchanged at the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last evening, when rates and' estimates were under discussion. Cr. R. Cobbe strongly attacked the policy of carrying out permanent work from revenue, which he described as iniquitous. Rates were raised under false pretences, as ratepayers did not knew where the money was going. The fathers of today were finding money for the benefit of their sons Hamilton, he contended, had given a lead to every public body in the Dominion and should set an example of economy. The Mayor, Mr. J. R. Fow, rose and challenged Cr. Cobbe’s remarks regarding money spent under false pretences. He said the estimates in full were handed to the Press and printed last year- It was fixed in open council that certain work was to be done out of revenue, not loan. He gave instances of apathy on the part of ratepayers toward loans. “Ic is absolutely wrong to infer that one part of the council does things surreptitously and the other in the open,’* he added. Cr. Cobbe: You are leaving a wrong impression with ratepayers regarding my attitude. I greatly resent vou misconstruing my remarks. \ The Mayor denied this. Cr. S. V. Tyler: Cr. Cobbe is to be pitied, not blamed. He is young at debating, but will learn- We must leave him alone for 12 months. If I had my way the rates would have gone up. Cr. Cobbe resumed his seat and the discussion proceeded amicably and rates and estimates eventually carried. Strong disapproval of Sunday entertainments was expressed by the Mayor. Applications from the Waikato Commercial Travellers’ Association to hold a silent picture show in the Theatre Royal on Sunday night, and from the St. George’s Queen Carnival Committee to hold an after-church concert were received. 1 Mr. Fow said the practice was get- * ting over the odds. For many years . the council opposed the idea, which » always had been distasteful to him, • ; I nd when the church entered into it, ,it was repugnant. The censorship of ihe programo depended on the Mayor, ..nd if the council approved the applications, he refused to supervise them. The applications were granted, and Cr. F. W. Luxford was appointed to ; supervise the programmes. The following rates for the current year were struck:—Hamilton area. s id a decrease of l-16d; Claudelands. ft *>-32d, same as last year; Frankton t> 15-32 d, an increase of 3-64 d; Maeroa 8 3-16 d, an increase of 1 15-i6d Estimated receipts are £49,075 as against £56,554 last year.