Oroua County Council

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 59, 11 March 1943, Page 6

Oroua County Council

The Oroua County Council met at Feilding yesterday, Cr. A. Campbell (chairman) presiding. Commenting on the finances, the chairman said that it was expected that the financial year would close with a credit balance of approximately £6OOO of which £2500 was invested in Government War loan stock. The financial position indicated that the Council had been justified in making this investment which would be of benefit to the ratepayers when the question of rehabilitation came up. Other councillors agreed and made mention of the Halcombe road reconstruction proposals which had been deferred on account of the war. The money invested in war stock would, it was suggested, come in handy to enable this work to be undertaken. In regard to a letter from the Feilding Chamber of Commerce, suggesting that the Council might approve of the idea of incorporating the proposal to construct the Apiti-Norsewood road in any rehabilitation works, the Council decided not to take any action. The curtailment of any capital expenditure on works connected with E.P.S. organisation was urged in a letter from the Director of National Service. The letter pointed out that the changed position in the Pacific justified steps being taken to restrict all capital expenditure meanwhile. The proposal of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board to introduce a system whereby information as to excessive rainfalls and flood heights of rivers in the Manavvatu catchment area would be readily available was not taken up by the Council which considered it was not affected. The letter stated that the River Board was

working in conjunction with the Palmerston North River Board in this matter. The chairman expressed the opinion that the County was not concerned. Dealing with hospital rating questions, the chairman mentioned that rural ratepayers were definitely suffering an injustice in that they were levied on the capital value. Cr. Shannon mentioned that in actual fact many ratepayers were levied on their debts. The chairman went on to recall that the Counties* Association had been hammering away at the inequity of the rating for hospital purposes for years and he was glad to notice that the Municipal Association and Hospital , Boards were now manifesting an interest in the position. He was satisfied to leave the handling of the position in the hands of the Counties’ Association who would, he was confident, do all that could be done to secure justice.