BOROUGH COUNCIL AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23317, 28 September 1945, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Sir,—There is a new era dawning. Democracy is on the march. The only ones out of step are the Chambers of Commerce and the Plumbers’ Union. In raising a loan of £lOO,OOO at 3 per cent for housing, the Thnaru Borough Council has brought many houses into existence. At the present moment the Mayor and Town Clerk are negotiating for another £lOO,OOO to continue the good work. The Timaru Fire Board, on which body I represent the Borough Council, has almost completed plans to bring eight new flats into being, at a cost of £12,500. Recently, a wide-awake businessman informed me that the Council's foresight had given a stimulus to the building trade and also inspired confidence leading to many private persons going ahead with buildings. Can Mr Menzies deny that the Council’s policy has been other than helpful to private enterprise? The houses to be constructed out of materials purchased from the War Assets Realisation Board are an experiment to meet an urgent demand for shelter and the Council has every right to choose the methods of expediting that job. If it wants a plumber to expedite the work and keep expenses down it is no concern of the Plumbers’ Union, especially when the Council will save the master plumber's profit on a humanitarian scheme for the benefits of those to whom we owe so much.—l am, etc., R. S. Wheeler.