RISING COSTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1938, Page 8

RISING COSTS

NOT TO BE MET WITH HIGHER RATES. NEW COUNTY' CHAIRMAN’S SURVEY. (“Times-Age” Special) “It is impossible to' meet rising costs with rising rates,” declared Mr A. B. Martin, the newly-elected chairman of the Featherston County Council, at today’s meeting. Mr Marlin paid a tribute to the services rendered by the retiring chairman. Mr Q. -Donald. Councillors and ratepayers, said Mr Martin, could well be proud of Mr Donald’s work. He hoped that Mr Donald’s advice and service would long be available to the council. The policy Mr Donald had pursued of giving improved access to back country areas was very sound and he hoped the council would be abli to continue it. The council, Mr Martin said, was faced by rising costs, the greater portion of which they had no control over. They could not go on year after year, increasing rates to cope with rising costs. It might be necessary, though he hoped it would not be, to curtail some of the major road work in the future. There was an insistent murmur from ratepayers against further increases in rates. The cry today was for the Government to return to the local bodies the full amount of motor taxation. It was a legitimate cry, but when consideration was given to the fact that during the last two years the Government had relieved the counties of 4,000 miles of main highways it must be realised that there would not be much of the taxation left af.er maintaining those roads. At the same time, counties were quite entitled to demand relief for their ratepayers. It would be necessary for the council to keep well within its estimates, Mr Martin observed, in order to cope with any arbitrary rise in costs that might unfortunately take place halfway through the financial year. He hoped that, with the co-operation of councillors, he would be able to carry on the good work done by Mr Donald.