Oroua County Council

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 121, 23 May 1940, Page 2

Oroua County Council

PUBLIC WORKS VOTES OUT Ilxc Oroua County Council met at Feililing yesterday, Cr. A. Campbell (chairman) presiding. There were also present Crs. T. Green, W. S. Page, B. McLeod, It. Stewart, A. B. Shannon and W. McLennan. Correspondence was received from the Publie Works Department advising that expenditure on main highways maintenance for the first six mouths of the current financial year would be halt the total cost of last year, Jess 20 percent. A further letter from the department notified that in order to conserve funds under the road vote all existing authorities would bo cancelled unless commitments had been entered into. Authorities would bo subject to reinstatement if regarded as urgent and necessary. Discussing the letters, tho chairman said he had referred to this matter in his remarks at tho annua] meeting. It would moan less work ror the county and also less revenue would accrue to the county from the hire of its plant for main highways work. It was one of the things which tho council would have to face up to. He did not consider any action could be taken unless the Public \\ orks estimates came down -and lie anticipated that something would be learned when the District Highways Council met. For these reasons he suggested that the estimates be deferreu until the next meeting. The council agreed to defer consideration of its estimates until after the Eistrict Highways Council meeting. 11l connection with the council’s £IO,OOO highways loan, a letter was received from the Public Trustee regarding sinking fund and mentioning that the interest allowed was insufficient to provide for the loan to mature on the date fixed. The chairman said that he had consulted with the council's finance committee and the County Council and after further correspondence with the Public Trustee it had been agreed to increase tho amount of payments to tho sinking fund to £OSO per annum. This additional money would bo found out of ordinary revenue instead of the council going to the expense of raising another loan to pay off the balance. Ho said that if the council agreed to the course if action decided upon, the loan would io liquidated in 194 U and the imlcbted-