‘CHEAP SNEERS’ IS COMMENT BY MAYOR

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 October 1948, Page 2

‘CHEAP SNEERS’ IS COMMENT BY MAYOR

“Cheap sneers” was the term applied by the Mayor of Greymouth, Mr-IF. F. night,.to .remarks 'which, he 'said, were reported to have been "made at recent -meet--ings of -two Grey local bodies which decided to make available, /in the meantime only half .of the £2OO Which'had been isoUglit as their, contributions to the cost of financing the licyal visit. -l 1 I; • - Mr' who was speaking last night-at a ; meeting-of the- West Coast Royal • i Visit - Committee, of which he is /chairman,-objected to statements, which, he^-said,-were-re-ported to have 'been.made. by .members -df:'these-local bodies; t.to the effect that-the Grey; Borough.. Council would handle the mjoney provided .for the. Royal; Visit arrangements... One member had said that the council “would spend all it. could get.” .. “I don’t'want-to jthrow.a. discordant mote- .into the i harmony of this meeting,:-but I would like to point out’.that ..this,money which is being sought fr.bm other: local bodies is not being- handed to the Grey Borough Council,’-Lsdid- Mil Boustridge. “There was n 6 need for the remark that the Borough Council will?-, spend’ the money of other local bodies ‘and they will sfrend all they can get.’ I resent it.-”-: .' - ■’ • ’

. “This-committee - .has- been- appointed .by all West Coast local bodies and I am the sole i representative of the f borough on the executive,” the Mayor, said; adding ithat he had made this'statement to clear up “assertions” in the newspaper reports, which he considered were no more than “cheap sneers;” Mr Boustridge went on to say that the whole of the money would he distributed by committees set-up for that purpose' by J representatives;of all local bodies, and the Grey Borough Council would have nothing to say about' the expenditure. Any work the council ■ towards the perma-nent-improvement of the borough, though - carried out -in conjunction with the. decorations for. the Royal visit,' jWOuld not be-a charge on the decorations committee, but special work,, such i as. constructingjthe dais for-the Royal-party, would be.charged,for in/the same way that the ,Grey ■Power Board would seek payment for special/lighting arrangements. The ,engineer to the Grey Power Board; iM.r J. Trotter, pointed out at this stagelthat the board would hot thafge./fbr> burrent 'consumed by the special-lighting arrangements, but only for the actual wages of the men engaged on decorations work.