RELIEF WORK SUBSIDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 282, 28 November 1929, Page 21

RELIEF WORK SUBSIDY.

The statement made by Councillor Hayden at the last meeting of the Takapuna Borough Council on the subsidy question is illuminating, as it appears to clear up the question as to why Councillor Hayden and others did not take advantage of the subsidy before the previous council went out of office, when unemployment was rife and side streets required permanent construction work oft them. It arose as the result of a

question as to why the previous council (of which Mr. Hayden was a member) had allocated for a few side streets, one week prior to the last municipal election, a sum of £640 of the money available for expenditure this year, without having applied for a subsidy, then offering, on it. He stated that a subsidy could not be obtained on revenue money; but it should be known that to gain the subsidy, the amount allocated must first be s'et aside specially for work of a "permanent" nature to comply with the subsidy scheme. Moneys handled in this judicious manner will earn at least half as much again as the amount allocated, and in addition it will assist simultaneously the' unemployed and further improve the borough. Ratepayers have a fight to expect their representatives to B'ecure subsidies as soon as available and

get the best value for their & money; and in that connection I might add that the, "permanent" work policy to improve side-streets was advocated at the last municipal election by new blood then in the field, whilst no mention of it can be found in the manifesto issued at that time by Mr.- Hayden and those associated with him. ALEX. H. WILKIE, Councillor, Takapuna, Borough.