“TOO MANY REQUESTS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 June 1939, Page 7

“TOO MANY REQUESTS”

APPEALS FOR DONATIONS BY ORGANISATIONS ATTITUDE OF FEATHERSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. MEETING LAST EVENING. (“Times-Age” Special.) An opinion that too many organisations were requesting donations from local bodies, was expressed by the Mayor of Featherston (Mr J. W. Card) at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening. Mr Card said that although he personally sympathised with these organisations, he did not feel disposed to give away the ratepayers’ money. Councillors declared themselves in agreement with the Mayor in this matter. . A request for a donation towards its funds was received from the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club. No grant was made. The New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society (Wairarapa branch) was also refused a grant towards its funds. Advice was received from the Featherston County Council that in future application must be made to use water from the Featherston-Longwood water race standard at the old Featherston Camp as the supply there was private property. Publicans’ licenses were renewed for the current year to the Empire Hotel and the Royal Hotel. A permit to construct a dairy was granted to G. Farrier. Those present at the meeting were the Mayor, Mr J. W. Card, and Councillors J. S. Viles, W. Johnson, C. C. Kenward, B. B. Donald, H. Cundy, F. G. Hardie, C. Skipage and N. B. Tait. COUNTY FOLLOWS SUIT APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS REJECTED. STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN. “While I am in hearty agreement with the organisations, and fully realise that the work they are doing is beneficial to the community, I think they come outside the function of local bodies,” said Mr A. B. Martin, chairman of the Featherston County Council, at today’s, meeting, after letters requesting donations towards funds had been read. “The ratepayers give money privately to these organisations, and I do not consider we are justified in spending their money in this manner,” Mr Martin added. Requests were received for donations from the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society (Wairarapa branch), the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club, and the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). All were refused.