STAFF REDUCED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23274, 17 February 1939, Page 12

STAFF REDUCED

HOKIANGA COUNTY

SHORTAGE OF FUNDS EQUIPMENT TO LIE IDLE STRAIN OF FLOOD REPAIRS [BY TEI.EGRAPn —OWX CORRESPONDENT] "WHANGAREI, Thursday For the past two years the finances of the Hokiariga County have been in a precarious position and for periods during theso years tbc services of. tho majority of tho members of tho outside staff have had to bo dispensed with for some weeks as there was not sufficient money to pay wages. A few months ago tho position again became acute, but a grant of £IOOO was received from tho Government and this enabled work to bo continued. Tho situation has now become serious again. The council has had to dispense with tho services of one foreman, two grader drivers and two gangers. Two foremen havo been reduced to truck drivers. Three graders, tliroe tractors and two trucks are being laid up. ' During tho past four years tho county has suffered severely from flood damage. Each year many thousands of pounds' ' damage have been done to the reading system of tho county and it has been impossible to repair this damage out of the rate revenue. . Assistance was sought from tho Government and although a measure of assistance was given, this has not been sufficient to repair tlie damage, and the ordinary revenue of the county has had to be diverted to assist with tho work. This has meant not only a strain on the finances of the county, but also a deterioration in the reading system, as there were not sufficient funds avauablo to maintain the roads. In reporting to a meeting of the county council, the engineer, Mr. L. Donnelley, said that under existing conditions the roads in tho county must rapidly deteriorate as the staff and plant available for maintenance were totally inadequate to cope with the position.