OROUA COUNTY

Feilding Star, Volume 8, Issue 2308, 11 December 1930, Page 6

OROUA COUNTY

MEETING OP ITS COUNCIL. RECORD OF BUSINESS DONE Tlie members present at yesterday'* meeting of the Orona County Council yesterday were: Crs. A. Campbell (Chairman:.; O, ; AfcE’roy, AY\ Greeuhow. A S» an non, W. aml Tliomaa Green. FINANCIAL STRESS Discussing the Unemployment >■ Hoard proposals for the rebel' of un- * employment, members of the Counci 1 * took the view that the Hoard would * he justified in subsidising the farmers i in order that they might continue to ! employ the labour they now hud. It was pointed out the Hoard was for tiie purpose ofl endeavouring to find work for men now unempoyed, hut Cr McElroy asked what would be the difference if the farmers hi d to release labour and then were subsidised to re-employ the men. NEED FOR ECONOMY The Chairman said there was need for economy all round, and this Council would have to face the position. In the meantime lie looked to Parliament to give a load. The Government should reduce the salaries of the Ministers and members of Farlia inent, to begin with, and also reduce salaries throughout tlie civil service. The position had to he faced. WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED Referring to tlie circular from the Unemployment Hoard offering to subsidise moneys used to absorb the unemployed, the Chairman said the County hud no work to offer at present. The Chairman added ho saw with satisfaction that tlie Hoard had decided to amend its subsidy payment to meet the position where the standard rate of wages varied. The first offer was a subsidy on 14s a day. Tlie wage rate in this county was Pis per day, which rate had operated for years, so that any subsidy paid for work in the county arranged by the Council would he Os per day. * HIGHWAYS FU NDS The Chairman repeated hifc statement made to tlie Highways Board on its recent visit to Fei’ding, that it was a disappointment to find that the extra 2d tax on benzine was not to. go towards the maintenance of secondary highways, as was understood when the tax was proposed. It hndilbeen found that the Government had subsfantm’ly reduced the amount ! placed in the hands of the Highways Hoard, and tlie Chairman the ‘ Board had stated that owing to the economic outlook tlie Hoard did not expect to receive as great a sum from the Ivenzine tax. Tlie Chairman said he hud pointed out to the Hoard the Council was disappointed at not being able to complete the sealing of Kimbolton road to Cheltenham this summer. OVERDUE RATES The Council decided to impose tlie 10 per cent, penalty on overdue rates on January 24.