WAIROA COUNTY COUNCIL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16958, 23 May 1929, Page 12

WAIROA COUNTY COUNCIL

THE ANNUAL MEETING CR. NOLAN AGAIN CHAIRMAN (Herald Correspondent.) At the annual meeting of the Wairoa County Council yesterday there were present: Crs. A. G. Nolan, retiring chairman, W. J. Hill, A. T. Carroll, K. B. Crombie, ,1. Tait, S. A. Dickie, W. Tait and F. H. Norris. The clerk, Mr. P.. G. Sigmill, took the chair and called for nominations for the position of chairman for the ensuing year. Or. Hill proposed that Or. A. C. Nolan be re-elected chairman. In doing so, Cr. Hill said the council had been fortunate in having a man, like Cr. Nolan as chairman in the past because he had all the business at his finger tips, and the work made a gro'it eail on his time. The business was growing, and there -was a great, deal lo lie done in between meetings, and these matters Cr. Nolan had attended to with credit to himself and satisfaction to the council. Cr. Carroll, in seconding the motion, congratulated the chairman on the successful result of his management of thr affairs of the county last term, and he endorsed all that Cr. Hill had Slated. He had given much lime to thi' county work, and they could not better him as chairman. No other nominations being forthcoming, Cr. Nolan was declared elected. OR. NOLAN'S THANKS Cr. Nolan, on taking the chair, thanked the councillors for his reelection for another term. The job was becoming bigger every year; there was much to do, and he was curly too pleased to carry out the county work to the best of his ability. He hoped tiie present council would prove as amicable as the past one, and he trusted that if any differences did arise they would be finished when the meeting finished, and that any parochial feeling between tlie ridings would, be sunk for the benefit of the county as a whole. The 'chairman said he desired to welcome the new councillors, and was sine they would ably fill their positions and keep up the prestige of the council and work unitedly in the best interests of the ratepayers. While doing so, he desired to 'place on record the good work of the outgoing members, who had attended to their duties faithfully ami well, and the result of the year's transactions showed that they had attended to the business on right lilies, and got the balance, on the right side of the ledger. He particularly desired to mark the splendid service rendered lo the county by Mr. G. C. Orinond during 18 years' consecutive service as a councillor. During these years several of the biggest works in the country could be traced to him, and all of them would live to his memory. He desired to thank Mr Orinond for personal assistance to him as chairman at times when he needed it.

He was sure the present council would work harmoniously, and could assure them that the coming year would not be an easy one. It was a

good happening to have a tidy credit balance, for there were works ahead that needed all the council's attention. An easy way to -get along would be by bumping up the rates, but. he was opposed to that, and therefore great eare would have to be exercised in matters of finance if they were to get through the year without debt, and this seemed likely unless they had a very bad spin.. The outgoing council felt very strongly that the riding system of accounts should be done away with; I his he also was keen on, but the state of the law did not permit it, but. he Imped for an amendment to give the council the right' to change and have only one fund. AIMS OF COUNCILLORS Cr. Dickie thanked the chairman for his warm welcome to the new councillors, and said he would try and work for his own riding so as to be worthy of the good repute of Cr. Pryde. Cr. Crombie thanked the council and the chairman for the welcome extended, and said that if he might be allowed to hold their attention for a few moments, he would say that having dwelt in the county for the greater part of 38 years, the first two of which were spent in that I hen remote locality, Maungataniwha, he could hardly be described as an jlli known quantity. It was not, therefore, necessary to say much to show his attitude generally, or by way of introduction to county work, lie assured the chairman that as a member of the council, and of tin' Harbor Board his aim was io serve in the interests of progressive settlement ami communications, both by land and water, inspired, ho trusted, 'by that spirit which seemingly possessed Rudyard Kipling when he penned the lines about taking up the white man's burden. To his mind the councillors were the temporary custodians of the assets of the Creator, and of the welfare of posterity, holding a tenancy in common, terminable individually at His will. He ventured to trust that whenever contentious matter arose the ultimate issue might never lie, fuyi.'{'d to submit to the might or the powers of selfishness, but to the spirit of-justice. The chairman's report was then read and adopted. The following committees were set up:—Works: The chairman and Cl'S. Hill and Carroll. Finance: The chairman with two members in rotation for three months.