BOROUGH FINANCES.

Wairarapa Age, 23 January 1936, Page 4

BOROUGH FINANCES.

WILL NOT PERMIT OF SALARY s RESTORATIONS. INCREASED EXPENDITURE IN PROSPECT. At the December meeting of the Borough Council a recommendation was passed to the Finance Committee that favourable consideration bo given to the question of restoring wages and salary cuts to Borough employees. It was suggested that members of tho staff paid weekly receive a 5 per cent, increase and those paid by the hour an increase of IJd an hour.

After giving the matter full consideration the Finance Committee tabled a recommendation at Tuesday night’s meeting of the council that: “We regret that the finances of the Borough will "hot permit of a restoration being made at the present time,” The Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan, said that an estimate of receipts and expenditure for the remainder of the financial year had been prepared by the Town Clerk. All were anxious to do all they could to restore the salary cuts, but the committee had reluctantly come to the conclusion that the finances of the Borough at the present time would not stand it. He pointed out that the council was faced by increased expenditure as the result of the proposed flood protection work on the Waipoua River, improvements to the Borough drainage system and “possibly a 40 hour week. ’ ’ On the figures it looked as if they might have a debit balance at the end of the year, but the Treasurer was conservative and he hoped it would not be as bad as that. The recommendation was adopted. At a later stage in the meeting it was decided on the motion of Councillor G. D.- Wilson, that three men employed in the Park who were in receipt of £3 16s Id a week, have their salaries increased to £4 a week.