THE ABATTOIRS AGAIN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 2050, 2 December 1924, Page 5

THE ABATTOIRS AGAIN.

ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT. THE QUESTION'OF FINANCE. A report from the Mayor and Town Clerk on their negotiations with Mr Tilt ham for the purchase of the abattoirs site was read at the Borough Council meeting last night. The Mayor said Mr Tatham stated he would conform with the council’s terms, except that he would put down only 1 cwt of manure instead of 2 cwts per acre, and only 35 lbs of grass seed. The Mayor thought 40 lbs of grass seed was necessary. Cr Boddie protested against splitting hairs in this way. The council had put the thing off for two years already. The Mayor said he was quite in accord with taking Tatham’s property, and thought the price was a fair one and the conditions reasonable. Under the circumstances he thought he could not go further unless Mr Tatham accepted the council’s conditions. Crs Peterson and O’Connell thought the council should not be dictated to. Cr O’Connell remarked: We can take it under the Public Works Act. Cr Boddie declared it was not worth going to all the expense which would be incurred in legal charges by that course for the sake of a few pounds of grass seed. It was not a case of Mr Tatham dictating to the council. It was a deal between two parties, both of whom were entitled to their opinion. The Mayor said there was another aspect. How was the council, going to finance the deal? Money was difficult to get and dear when you could get it. The Prime Minister had advised local bodies to cease borrowing for a while. After considerable discussion, the Mayoi and Town Clerk were authorised to interview the bank to ascertain what prospect there was of obtaining the money. On the Mayor’s suggestion, he was authorised to interview the Agricultural Department at Auckland, with a view to getting permission to postpone the abbatoirs for a year.