RANGIORA BOROUGH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 568, 4 December 1915, Page 13

RANGIORA BOROUGH.

COUNCIL MEETING. The fortnightly meeting of the Rangiora Borough Council was held last evening, when . there were present: Messrs C. I. Jennings (Mayor), W. McGruer, F. B. Lane, W. Blackett, W. Rowse, C. S. Ayers, W.-A. Rouse, C. C. Patterson, and H. Boyd. The Petone Borough Council wrote asking the council to concur in the suggestion that. Parliament should be summoned to enable the Pensions Act to be amended.so; that the dependents of soldiers who had been killed should be

enabled to get better treatment than' was now being, dealt out by the Pensions Board. Cr Boyd supported the suggestion. The next jcjf kin should be en abled to demand a pension as a right in respect- to a relative killed without having to show that he was poorly circumstanced. The Government was not doing the fair thing, and it seemed to him that relatives of deceased soldiers should be better treated. Cr Lane regretted that (there should be anything savouring of unfair treatment of the dependents-of soldiers. It seemed that there was shirking in high places., While the war had made huge sums for the wool kings of the Domin-, ion there should be no suggestion, of: soldiers not getting their rights. Cr Boyd mover that tne word "dependent'' in the P'etone resolution be amended to "dependent or . next -of kin." . ■=..-. , -.r. - " v - . ' .„'..; The -Mayor thought, that a pension should not be paid unless it was .-shown, that the next of kin were really deprived of a soldier's support. t :", Cr Blackett thought it entirely wrong that any relative should claim a .pension or any. compensation unless ; they

were actually dependent upon a soldier, -\ „ and-by his death'iad been materially-.-.ir affected. •. ■ [ -, \C Gx McGruer said it would be a mean:/ S and contemptible, thing for- a to accept a pension if he "was* not~*inj>£ need of it. • - - ' \"£f

* The Mayor explained that the Pen- ; -~ ■>' sions. Board was' not inclined to grant pensions when it was shown that were'other members of the family-who. could support soldiers' dependents. '"~_~ The motion was lost by 5 to A,' and V * the- Petone proposal, as submitted, was : '- approved. . ' "c A supplementary roll of district elec- -■? tors was approved. Gr McGruer w.as appointed chairman. , > of the Works Committee in place' of Cr, - "f Wright, resigned. ■ * " :'' Cr Ayres urged that the streets and" ■ right-of-ways that are doubtful' as* to' - V being dedicated \e enquired into,, and/ a legal, opinion sought as to the posi- -■ \ tion'. ".This was agreed to. . < • .// i&tounts amounting ta £4l 13/1 were passed for payment. The - receipts to-„ .; tailed £lOl 16/6 on the general account. ~ [Payments upon the gas-account were" - >\ | made to the extent of ££s 12/6. The bank debit balance stood at £1743^0/10.