GREEN ISLAND BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23885, 12 August 1939, Page 19

GREEN ISLAND BOROUGH AFFAIRS

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—The admission of the Deputy Mayor of Green Island, Councillor Freeman, of his inability to grasp the simple rules and standing orders of the borough, together with Councillor Boomer’s attempt to increase the overhead charges on an already financially embarrassed borough, is sufficiently serious to call for a general meeting of ratepayers, ii they are worthy of protection, when the borough’s unfinancial position and the cost of overhead charges, of which I understand the office alone absorbs approximately £9OO, should be investigated. Councillor Boomer’s attempt to increase the town clerk’s salary from £4lO. which he already receives inclusive of the picture theatre allowance, to £430. is apparently born out of appreciation of social friendship with a lack of knowledge of the value of the position. In view of the fact that all the major undertakings gas. sewerage. Fire Board, etc.—were completed during the late town clerk’s term, the office work to-day is purely routine. The salaries paid are. I understand, higher than those of Mosgiel. West Harbour and Port Chalmers. The rates in Green Island are higher than in any known borough or city for the services rehdcrcd. , Many ratepayers of long standing have no footpaths whatsoever, and have worse than backblock roads, water is laid on. but they are only able to get it for a few hours a day and sometimes not at all, Whusi mothers and their children have to trudge through mud and slush and without water sufficient for ordinary hygienic purposes, for which they are rated, it is particularly callous of councillors to propose to increase the remuneration for an already overpaid Tomkins to-day has the commendation of every thinking person in the borough for his action in attempting to preserve the ratepayers interests. This writer sincerely suggests that a general meeting of ratepayers should be called by one of the past councillors who rendered such estimable value to discuss the present unfortunate position of_ the borough, financially and otherwise. Such a meeting should seriously consider employing an accountant to investigate the financial position ox the borough and overhead costs of the office and also an engineer to report on the annual cost for. say. the next 10 years in order to bring the amenities of the borough—footpaths, water etc.— up to a minimum requirement. Unless some such action is taken and an attempt is made to run the affairs of the borough in a business-like manner, there is every indication that an increase in the salary of the town clerk, together with the muddling of the present political council, will mean a very drastic increase in rates within the next year. In conclusion, 1 would like to ask how many of the ratepayers of Green Island are in receipt of a salary of £430 per year.—l am. etc.. Ratepayer.

[We take this opportunity of saying that our report of the meeting of the Borough Council on Tuesday night last was curtailed to the extent that the speeches of only two councillors in support of the Finance Committees recommendation were reported, instead of those of all the councillors who supported it. the object being to balance the report as far as possible.—Ed. OJD.T.I