AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21387, 1 February 1935, Page 4

AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL

o The monthly meeting of the Akaroa County Council was held at the Council Chambers, when there were present Messrs E. Hay, W. W. Williams, R. A. Mould. W. H. Taylor, and O. Thelning. In the absence of the chairman, Cr. Hay was voted to the chair. Cr. Mould said that slow progress was being made with metal contracts. The clerk stated the contractors were grass seeding. The Wairewa council forwarded a circular letter about rates of interest, and asking that the following resolution be supported:—That this council wish to inform the Minister for Finance, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, that the council will, support him in his effort to reduce rates of interest to bring them into line with bank deposit rates of interest. The chairman said the general idea I of the motion was to reduce rates of | interest. I Cr. Mould said the resolution was j probably to support the Government in its mortgage corporation proposals. I Cr. Thelning said that the only equitable way was to pay by produce, I and then the successful producer, sharing with the mortgagee, would benefit from his efforts. The chairman said that the greatest evil of the Mortgagors Relief Act was that it was sheltering bad farmers, and those not producing could not be removed from their farms. The mortgagee was powerless at the present time. Cr. Thelning said that he could not support the motion unless it attacked

bank rates of interest, which were the real trouble. The chairman said that it worked both ways. People living on a fixed sum which represented their savings would be badly hit if interest rates were reduced. Cr. Taylor said that the rate had dropped considerably already. The chairman said the statutory rate was now 5 per cent. It was decided that the council should hold over consideration as it wished to express an opinion on the motion as at present drafted. Cr. Williams said that the flat roads in the county should be tarsealed. The chairman said that members could see Mr Langbein as to the best methods of tar-sealing. Cr. Mould said he did not think tarsealing was justified as there was not sufficient traffic. The chairman said that the council should get estimates as to the cost of tar-sealing. Chocolate, cakes, lemonade, gingerbeer and ice cream were all "bestsellers" at British Army canteens during the last summer camps.