COUNTY’S DIFFICULTIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 September 1938, Page 7

COUNTY’S DIFFICULTIES

t POSSIBILITY OF DEFAULT GOVERNMENT AID SOUGHT (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “Unless we can secure financial assistance from the Government, the Hokianga County Councill will have to default in payments amounting to several thousands pounds at the end of this month,” said Mr W. H. White, delegate from the Hokianga Council at a meeting of local authorities held at Whangarei on Saturday to discuss financial contributions to the centennial celebrations. “Our chairman, Mr A. C. Yarborough and myself have just returned from Wellington, where we interviewed the Ministers concerned, in an endeavour to obtain this assistance. We are hopeful of securing aid, but the matter has to be discussed by Cabinet before a decision can be made. ‘All our finances have been utilised during the past four years in repairing flood damage. Each year we have had to find thousands of pounds for the restoration of roads and bridges damaged by floods., “Four years ago the amount of the damage was £20,000, and within the last month we suffered damage to the extent of £2OOO. The continuous flooding has raised the level of the river beds and the waters overflow the banks even after little rain, so that oui troubles are continually recurring.”