BOROUGH FINANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14986, 13 August 1919, Page 5

BOROUGH FINANCE.

AND LORD JELLICOE'S VISIT.

At the Borough Council meeting last night Cr. J. Mouat referred to the fact that the Council was six weeks overdrawn m its finance as disclosed by the treasurer's statement. The Town CJerk said th© overdraft amounted ., Jo JB7OCO or - £8000. — The ..Mayor emphasised the necessity for keeping down the expendi'ure of money on anything but the most important works. — Cr. Coleman said that his reason for opposing the extension of the invitation, to Admiral Jellicoe was simply on account of the Council's financial position. Every meeting complaints were comng forward as to the deplorable |S.tate of the roads ; the Council was hot game to tell them they hacT : no funds, and the matters were referred to a committee to report, and nothing- was done. In spite of this the Council were going to expend money m entertaining Lbrd Jellicoe. A number of men had been retrenched because the Council could not afford to have the work done. He believed m employing men m preference to entertaining a man, no matter how worthy he might be. . He : did . ript "wiih his statement misconstrued. He believed m being sincere, ' even if unpopular, rather than be popular and a hypocrite. — Cr. Ashton : Be broadminded.— -Cr. Coleman: Perhaps I ami-^-Cr. .Hill: Look what Lord Jellicoe has done. — Cr. Coleman: I am saying nothing about what, he has done. Another thing w*ar that- it took- the • authorities all their time to tender the Arahura let 'alone take- the public out to visit the battle-ship.-—Cr. DeCosa. as one of those pre sent at the meeting m question, said he took offence at the remarks made by Ci- .C6]eman. If the Codncil had not moved m the matter the other local bodjes would have .done so,, and the Council? .would have been obliged to contribute. It was as well to do it with as good grace a 3 possible. — Cr, Ashton considered Cr. Coleman was not looking at the matter. in the right spirit, A great war had just been concluded,, and the least we should do was to take the opportunity to do honor to the ; Navy. He felt that the majority of the ratepayers Were m favor of the invitation being extended. IT(y appreciated the spirit f" which Cr. Coleman's remarks were made. -— Cr. Mouat said:that Lord Jellicoe was coming to these waters to report on the defence of overseas dominions, and for that reason he supported Cr. Coleman's action m view of the state of the ' Council's finances. He urged the Mayor to bring m a motion suggesting the Council could not see its '.way clear to support the invitation. — Cr. Lawless said there was no motion before the meeting.^—The Mayor said, that was so, but he was allowing a full discussion, on the matter.— Cr. Lawless" said it would be bad form' to object to this "invitation. The matter was practically settled, and it would be a great pity if it was baulkj fid. — Cr. Hill said that an impression was going abroad that because of the Admiral's visit a number of men were being put off. This, was not so. The reason was that owing, to the stone quarries closing, their services were not required. He believed this peace was a "patched up onej" "and" it was hr the interests of the younger: generation that they should be given an' opportunity to see a unit of- the British Navyi He did not want a wrong impression tp'be cOn : veyed abroad. — Tlie' Mayor said that at the meeting the only dissentient was Cr; Coleman,. Although there 'was a great deal m what Ci'. Coleman said he ' fel +: that the majority of the ratepayers favored the extending, of the invitation! It" was -no one's fault tha + . the finances were so l ow. The Council was m the position that it had to do the best it could, and it should do honor to a great j Admiral. He .thought that the Council should fall m line with the other local bodies, even if it was only to recognise, m some way the work done by the British Navy during the war/ He did not think a resolution "was necessary, and the discussion .closed.