A REBATE MATTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14144, 16 June 1920, Page 5

A REBATE MATTER.

HIRE OF MUNICIPAL ROOMS,

PROGRESS LEAGUE AND COUN ! -OIL.

The Progress League wrote Ho the meeting of the Borough Council last -night requesting that the Council ./rant it the use of a room iu the Municipal Buildings free of charge, in which Ad hold meet ings.' ‘ . , A / cr. Canilv' “I. think we. might tell ■thte'Leagiid tliat ii r6om is available at 'the'iisu'al 'charge;'” ' ' ; "Ci. l, King' supported the application, ''a'lid 'dr'fw attention to the good work the. League wab'.’Uoin'g .tin of'the town. He tiioyed that the Progress League be granted the use of a room 'in . the’ '.Municipal; .Buildings, free of charge! when!a room is available. ' (jr? Watson 1 seconded the motion. ' Cr O ’Learf moved as an , amemlmeht, and Cn. McLeod seconded, that the League b ; e granted the use of a room, at the usual rent; 1 Cr. Burridge: “Though lam totally j n sympathy with the objects of the League, can we, in the face ot a resolution o,n the Council’s books, grant the League a room free of charyp. ; Cr Candv: “That is just the ques'tion.' -If we grant the League a room rent free., howj do we* stand with other bodies l If other institutions sucji as, siiv the Labour Party, who, like the Progress League, hold that they are working in, the best interests ot the townspeople generally, came along and asked for a room free of charge, you could not turn them down after having granted the League a room tree, lain' A ’member of the Progress League, but I do not think that it is right o grant, the League’s request. If you do ;vou,-gre not consistent.” Cr. O’Leary:;-“l,.can assure you that if. the League -|r granted a room rent fl'opT; will iivalte application to-morrow fpr the Labour: Party to be given a room for • their meetings free ot charge. Then you will have other local institutions coining along aiul making .similar .applications,, and could you fairly.i turn thepi down? The 'Mayor: £‘l would point, out that we are £ll2’short'of what is required to meet, each year, the interest and sinking fund on the Municipal Buildin,os and ■ this interest and sinking : fun.] to some extent depends upon the revenue derived , from the letting ot the rooms in l the Municipal Buldngs. •i ci"-Candy'pointed out that tlie let-tin-'free of the rooms to such a splendid" institution 'as the Red Cross Society was a totally different matter trom lotting them similarly to an institution representing one.or other; class ot residents of the town. ' A councillor pointed out that the Council had previously refused an application made by, a local institution foi" a rebate of refit. The alndndment was earned. The 'Progress' League also applied for a rebate of the rent a Heady paid for the use of rooms at the Municipal r ihe ToWn--Clerk- stated that the am-, onnt involved was £9 10s. Cr -O’Leary stated that the Council might l make a rebate, of the amount paid I 'before March ,31st, last, before the resolution of the Council beanngoii the question of rebates was passed, fine .Council could with consistency do <lU <>.-Candy: “It’s simply a begging letter.” ■ . . . Rome Councillors were ot opinion that it was doubtful whether the Council could deal at this stage with a matter' which concerned last year s ba - ance-sheet. ' • "Cr Candv moved, and. Cr. Henderson seconded, that the Council regrets that it . cannot see Its way to grant any rc--I,aCrT Candy: ,“I would point out that the Progress League is not a hard-up institution. It pays a secretary £IOO -rYear. 1 ’ ,The Mayor: “Is Hint so? Other councillors: “Oh!” 'Cr. Watson moved as an amendment, and Cr. Atkinson seconded, that the letter of the League be held over until the exact dates and amounts to which the letter refers' are ascertained., (The amendment was carried.