HUNTER VILLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 244, 15 October 1931, Page 3

HUNTER VILLE

TOWN BOARD RESIGNATIONS

At the conclusion of the ordinary -usiuess of the Hunterville Town Board the chairman said he had been subjected to considerable criticism by I anonymous writers in the press ami he handed in the following statement: “I wish to make the following statement in reference to Town Board affairs in general and in particular to the meeting at which Mr. Hurley was appointed acting-town clerk. The suggestion that I left the meeting because my motion was lost is absurd, as reference to the minutes will reveal I have in no wise had my own way. I left because of the unusual and unfair treatment 1 received at the hands of the majority of the board. When you consider the actions of this majority m. coming to the meeting with everything cut and dried by having their names signed to a so-called requisition and this without in any way being prepared to consider any proposal whatrL«er’ t,lGn consi(ler that to bring this about the assistant" - m outsider had to be sought to sc i majority and. make it a sure thing. You must realise that it showed scant consideration for myself or the other members of the board, and warranted the action taken. Your claim to save the board £145 a year cannot hold except at the cost of efficiency and I would remind you that economy can be carried too far and defeat its own ends. You had it explained that every expense was budgeted for to the end of the financial year. You are now embarking on an experiment which from the start must -end in failure, if all the work of the board is kept up to standard. I maintain that the job of foreman may at any time take up more than full time. If this, happens office work will suffer and it is in the office where the finance is saved or lost. You have it from an authority that the office work is worth £2OO a year, if this is correct, and I have no doubt about it, then it ought to be paid. You were asked to consider. calling for applications for the combined positions of town clerk and secretary of the Rabbit Board at about this figure but this you would not consider although it was not going to cost the board any more than it was paying. By your action this chance is now lost. It has been the policy of the board for some time now to go forward, but I think the present move is a backward one. I wish to say here that Mr. Hurley has been an excellent foreman and with his knowledge of the work required he would be hard to replace and I regret to think that he is being forced to do something he has no wish to do, as he naturally hesitates to say to his employers, ”1 will not do what you ask.” I would like here to refer to the saving claimed, it would be £125 not £145; this means that to try and save £3l for thre months you are taking a chance which is not worth while, seeing that to do this the office has to be closed half time, unemployment work not undertaken and library receiving no attention. On referring. to last year’s balance sheet which is available to anyone on application, and this contains all the information required by correspondents, you will find tha the Works Committee spent £494 12s 3d. Of this amount only £4B was loan money. I attach a cutting from. a recent publication which I think will in a great measure prove my point and justify my action. I wish to record my sincere thanks to the members o fthe board and staff for co-operation and assistance during my term as chairman and especially to Commissioner Gregory, who, as chairman of the Finance Committee relieved me of a great deal of time and worry which in ordinary circumstances would have to be attended to by me as chairman of the board. After due consideration and taking note of all things that have occurred to bring the present position to where it is I have no other option than to look upon it as an expression of no confidence in the present administration, and therefore resign my position as a member of the board. “

The “cutting” was a reply from the Prime Minister to the N.Z. Society of Accountants in which he recommended the society to assist the Audit Department by recommending the appointment, by local bodies of accountants who are members of the society.

Crs. Simpson and O’Brien objected to the words “cut and dried.”

The resignations of Crs. Gregory and O’Brien were also read and the three retired.

Cr. Gordon was voted to the chair, and after voting the clerk’s bonus of £5 the board sat as a Domain Board.

HUNTERVILLE TOWN BOARD

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Hunterville Town Board was held on Tuesday night. Present: Crs. W. H. Bowiek (chairman), R. A. Gordon, G. B. Gregory, W. O’Brien. F. C Berry, R. K. Simpson, W. J. Whyte. Correspondence from Messrs. Maclean and Kincaid in reference to the Onge diversion through section 146 was read. A deed of agreement forwarded for approval was held over for consideration. The Highways Board wrote stating that when the lowest tender for any highway work was not accepted the Highways Board’s concurrence be obtained. The board also pointed out that the increased subsidy of £3 for £1 did not apply to new sealing work, that being at the old rate of £2 for £l. The foreman’s report covering work during the month was read.

Considerable discussion took place in regard to the cost of electric current for the town hall and it was decided to enquire the cost of installing a motor in the shop. The newly-appointed clerk (Mr. E. .T Hurley) was appointed treasurer and authorised to sign cheques with one member of the board, he was also appointed returning officer. It was decided to extend the waler service to a propertv on Porowa Road and one on Miirimntn Rond. Accounts amounting to £7O 6s 1d were passed for navment leaving n debit balance in the general account of £1282 11s 4(1.