EXPENSES DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24144, 10 December 1941, Page 8

EXPENSES DISPUTE

HOME GUAED NEEDS COUNTY COUNCIL'S REPLY DEMAND MADE FOR LEVY (0.C.) HAMILTON. Tuesday A heated discussion took place at the meeting of the Waikato County Council to-day between Mr. G. M. Watt, of Cambridge, and other members of the council, when a letter was received from the Cambridge Home Guard Committee returning a cheque for £2 sent by the council to the Homo Guard committee to meet expenses. The letter stated that the Homo Guard committee was most emphatic in its opinion that the council was evading its responsibility to members of the Home Guard.

When Mr. C. F. E. Barton, county clerk, commenced to read a statement defending the council's action, Mr. Watter interjected: I have heard all that rot before.

The chairman, Mr. J. A. Sampson: Order. Others want to hear the statement.

Continuing, Mr. Barton stated that without any previous consultation or arrangements tho Cambridge Battalion presented a demand for payment of a levy of £33 6s 6d for proposed expenditure for the year 1941. A request was made for information regarding tho various items mentioned in tho estimate, also for the authority for making the levy. In reply, tho secretary of tho Home Guard committee quoted section five of the Emergency Precautions Service regulations. This section contained no reference to the matter, said Mr. Barton. • There were 118 members of the Cambridge Battalion resident in the Wnikato County, but enrolments in the Northern Waikato Battalion, the area of which comprises the greater portion of the county, numbered 61.1. Members of the Northern Battalion evidently had been content for the most part to provide their own expenses. Their applications for assistance had been moderate and reasonable. The council had never objected to contributing to Home Guard expenses where such were shown to.be necessary, but it could not agree to the proposition that it should hand the Cambridge committee a blank cheque or that either battalion should be accorded preferential treatment. Mr. Watt stated that the council was letting down the Waipa and Matamata counties and the Leamington Town Board, and that the members of the council ought to feel ashamed of themselves, Tn order to make up the amount which the council refused to pay, members of # the Cambridge Home Guard were going to pay 2s 4d each. The letter was received.