PROHIBITION AT CLUTHA

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 157, 5 July 1899, Page 6

PROHIBITION AT CLUTHA

ITS EFFECTS ON PROPERTY.

The New Zealand "Times" says: — Much is being- made at the present jtime of the condition of Clutha electorate. A certain class declares that it is an ideal place; another affirms that trade is stagnant, and that no progress is being made by the I boroughs throughout the district on 1 account of their falling revenues. ■! There is therefore much divergence of | opinion concerning Clutha, and many j are perplexed by the varying state- | ments that have been put forward i for their acceptance. 'It has been asj serted by some that with the abolition of licenses there would be a reduction of taxation and a general buoyancy of trade. On the other hand, others assert that, if Clutha is to be taken as a criterion of the effects of no license, then the very opposite is the truth. We expect that the truth will be found to lie between I two extremes. However, some figures concerning the finances of the borough of Balclutha, which we are satisfied are official and correct, have come under our notice. They deal with Balclutha's finances for five years under license and five years under no license, and are as follow: — FIVE YEARS UNDER LICENSE. Revenue. Exp'dlture. I . . £ sd. • £ sd. I Year endingMarch 31, 1889... 950 18 6 1115 11 2 March 31, 1890... 94T 3 2 97G 2 10 March 31, 1891... 925 15 2 795 3 5 ! March 81, 1892... 056 0 7 1176 15 9 I March 31, 1893... 1184 7 6 1055 9 4 Totals 4964 4 11 5119 2 C FIVE YEARS UNDER NO LICENSE. Revenue. Exp'dlture. £ sd. £ Bd. Year ending— March 31, 1894... 821 2 11 86114 0 March 31, 1895... 892 14 0 640 17 5 March 31, 1890... 713 17 8 027 3 3 March 31, 1897... 797 15 6 679 8 2 March 31, 1898... 702 17 4 714 19 0 Totals 3928 7 5 3524 3 10 BANK OVERDRAFT. March 31, 1889—£665 13/9 . March 31, 1898—£380 11/1. As to the reduction of the overdraft with a declining revenue, it is necessary to state that a gravel pit belonging" to the corporation was sold for £250, and went to reduce the borough's liability to the bank. Then, in order to recoup the revenues, which fell on account of the reduced value of property, the Council struck, an extra rate of sixpence in the £-. In addition some of the Council's employees had' to be discharged. Such have been the experiences of Balclutha, and yet certain persons regard the action of the Clutha, electors as an example for the whole of the colony to follow, with a view of lightening taxation and securing financial prosperity.