COUNTY AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1940, Page 7

COUNTY AFFAIRS

.MEETING GF MAURICEVILLE COUNCIL MR E. W. CHEETHAM RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN. RATES FOR CURRENT YEAR. (■■Times-Age" Special.) The annual meeting of the Mauriceville County Council was held yesterday, all councillors being present. Mr E. W. Cheetham was unanimously re-elected chairman. He expressed appreciation of his re-election ani. thanked the councillors for thei' cordial co-operation which had provci. of valuable assistance to him in tin affairs of the council which had been carried out during the past year in I'm interests of the county as a whole. , The monthly meeting was also hck> Mr Cheetham presiding. The treasurer submitted a financ. report showing a debit balance of £06!) 14s Gd and accounts were passed amounting to £794 10s 4d. In accordance with notice already published a general rate of one am' five-eighths of a penny (l?d) in the pound, which included hospital levy and bridge rates amounting approximately to three-eighths oi .< penny (j(d) in the pound, was struck and it was decided to allow a discount of five per cent for payment made by August 8. , The chairman reported that he haci forwarded proposals for Main Highway subsidy grants for the current year ano that he had not made any application for additional highways nor fol ordinary road grants. His action w:v approved and confirmed. The Crippled Children Society applied for a donation to its funds anc the clerk was directed to reply tha the Council regretted that it -could not favourably consider the application under present financial conditions. The chairman was deputed to discuss the question of re-construction of bridges and road improvements with the Government, engineer as suggested by the Main Highways Board with the view of limiting operations to the fullest extent in view of present stringency. The Wallace County Council requested support of the council to a resolution to the effect: “That owing tc world conditions this council asks lor a re-instatement of the 48-hour week without any increase in the existing weekly wage; also 50 per cen' reduction in holidays and overtime a ordinary rates of pay." It was resolved that the council while in sympathy with all war efforts did not see its way to support this resolution in its entirety, but strongly protested against any increase in ths present rate of wages in the existing financial stringency occasioned by the war as such increase continuouslv enhanced the costs of the production of the country. . „ The Department of Internal Allan■ requested, information in regard to th; 1 formation of an emergency precautionscheme to deal with earthquake, fire flood, or enemy action the consideration of which was postponed until nex meeting to enable councillors to make inquiries as to what was being done in their localities by various institutions and committees. - t . The overseer reported satisfactory progress of work since last month and prospective work was discussed ano arranged for. ______