MASTERTON CEMETERY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 13 May 1932, Page 5

MASTERTON CEMETERY.

(To the Editor.) Sir,. —In reference to the controversy over the contribution from the Masterton County Council to the Masterton Borough Council on account of the Masterton Cemetery, may I be permitted to say that the County Council rvas not asked to contribute until 1930, so that all reference to contributions made by .the Borough Council previous to 1929 are irrelevant. When, in 1930, . the County Council A\-as asked to contribute j it immediately promised a grant for the year ended 31st March, 1931, ot £3O, that being the limit permitted by the’Counties Act to be contributed “m any one year.” In May, 1931, the County Council was again asked to contribute on the ground that the Borough Council Avas utilising, and proposed further to utilise, unemployed labour for the purpose of putting the cemetery into thorough order “without drawing on the cemetery fund. ” The Masterton County Council declined this request on the ground 'that it Ai-as necessary to reduce expenditure in that year, and suggested that the Borough* Council should* continue to take advantage of unemployed labour, which would cost neither body anything. The suggestion was also made that a further application, if made by the borough in the folloAving year, Avould receive consideration. At that time the Cemetery Account Avas in credit to the amount of £213 14s 7d, so that no grant by either body was necessary, nor did the Borough Council make any grant in that year. In April, 1932, the County Council, AA-ithout any request from the Borough Council, and although the Cemetery Account AA'as still heavily in credit, made a grant of £3O for the current year (1932-33). After this payment had been made, and just before the meeting of the Borough Council, Mr 1 Jordan requested the- County Clerk to consult the, chairman Avitli a view to having this grant appropriated to the previous year (and threatened to make a statement if this was not arranged), but this course Avould have been illegal, even if a contribution for that year had been necessary. ; The above is a plain statement of Avhat has taken-place since the Masterton County Council ay as first requested to make a contribution to the Masterton Cemetery. The Masterton County Council has simply observed the laA\ r and done its duty to its ratepayers and to the public, and is entitled to resent the violent attack which has been made upon it for so doing. —I am, etc., W. I. ARMSTRONG, Chairman. Masterton, 12th May.