CHANGE IN SUBSIDY BASIS FOR RIVER CONTROL REFUSED

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 August 1948, Page 5

CHANGE IN SUBSIDY BASIS FOR RIVER CONTROL REFUSED

A refusal tn alter the basis on which maintenance subsidies might be claimed, was contained in a letter from the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, received by the Westland Catchment Board, at its meeting at Greymouth this morning. The board, which had requested the change, held the view that the policy caused some hardship to settlers who were required to pay their agreed contributions in full even when the total expenditure on a job fell far below the original estimate. Such a reduction would be deducted only from the Soil Council's subsidy, it was stated.

“It is not possible to alter the method for the payment of maintenance subsidies,” wrote the council. Though the policy had only a small financial effect on the West Coast, ihe Westland Board was the only one to object to the method, which was accepted by the bigger boards which were more concerned in ihe matter. The subsidy had been approved by the Cabinet’, added the letter, and was not to be used to releave settlers of their responsibilities but to allow work of a higher standard to be carried out.

“The council has not answered the points we raised,” said' the actingchairman, Mi’ FI. P. Lawrey. The clerk, Mr 11. H. Pyne, pointed out that the resident engineer, Ministry of Works, Mr A. Bremner had the power to deal with special circumstances in the district. “Will that work out?” asked the chairman. He further asked if this authority gave the engineer power to vary the conditions laid down by the council.

Mr Bremner said that it would work out up to a point. “I do not believe in subsidy maintenance myself. It is not satisfactory,” he added. “We will keep our eye on the position, and if any specific case comes to our notice, we will bring it before the council,” said the chairman. It was decided that further action be taken if necessary.