REFUSAL OF ASSISTANCE
REPAIRING FLOOD DAMAGE PROTEST IN SOUTHLAND COUNCILLORS INDIGNANT (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, this day. Eor the first time in the history of the Southland County Council it is claimed that the Government has declined assistance to the council towards' the cost of repairing flood damage to bridges. * In. March an application was made for a grant for repairing the damage caused by floods in February. Yesterday at a meeting of the council a reply was received from the Hon. P. C. Webb, Who wrote on behalf of the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. RSemple, stating that the cost of the repairs was well within the council s finances and that the assistance sought could not be recommended. Mr. Webb’s letter stated: “In reply to your application for assistance towards the cost of reinstating the dam-age-caused by the February floods, I have to advise that I. have, inquired fully into the amount of damage done arid-the*state-of your council’s finances and consider that the cost of the repairs' necessary are well within the scope of your council’s finances. I regret, therefore, that I am unable to recommend any further assistance to your council from State funds.”
“It is the first time in history within my memory that we have not had a subsidy on flood damage to bridges, commented Cr. W. M. Norman. “It is absolutely ridiculous to say that our finances are all right. They do not know what they are talking about, and we should make a protest.”
The chairman, Cr. A. S. McNaught: The Minister does not know anything about: our finances when he talks like that. Not half or our financial year has gone and already we have got an overdraft at the bank.
Cr. Norman: Why should they penalise us like this?
The chairman: We should not take it lying down. A member: We have got to. The chairman: No we have not. We should protest and make ourselves heard.
, It was decided to inform the Minister that the county was not in a strong position and to renew the application for assistance.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19370710.2.33
Bibliographic details
Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19373, 10 July 1937, Page 5
Word Count
350REFUSAL OF ASSISTANCE Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19373, 10 July 1937, Page 5
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