"DON'T BORROW MORE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 9

"DON'T BORROW MORE."

HENDERSON TOWN BOARD. CHAIRMAN'S ADVICE. REVIEW OF DISTRICT FINANCES. A meeting of Henderson residents was held., in ;the Town Hall last night, to receive the report of the out-going board and to hear views on local affaire of the .candidates for the new. board. The chairman, Mr.. kW. R. T., presided, and the audience was a fairly large one. ;. The chairman: eaid that the'affairs of the district had snot been administered without l some difficulty, difficulty which had been greatly increased by the general 'depression. It. had. required, the most rigid economy to meet the commitments of the district Avithout increasing the rates, and at the same time place the board in a sound financial position. The sinking fund and the", main highways had been the greatest problems, because, when the loan money had been spent, the expenditures were at the highest peak, the estimates were exceeded and the amounts collected for sinking fund had to be used to" meet payments for work done. Tliesje amounts had since been refunded and all obligations met with the exception of the sum of £186, interest on old loaife due to the Waiteniata County Council. I Dealing with the concrete road, Mr. I Leigh ton said that the first estimate received front, the city engineer for the Henderson section without the Lincoln Road portion was £4120. Six ,months after the work was started, the board received aii amended estimate showing that the Henderson proportion wae £5857. In June, 1920, the City Council reported the work,.was completed and that Henderson's liability was £6142. In September of the same year, the city engineer advised that the total'cost \of the work, including , -the Lincoln Rofid portion, was". £18,713, and in February, j 1928, tlie city treasurer advised that the j proportion payable by Henderson was £7922. Empowering legislation to meet the excess amounts was .granted in 1020, and the City Council had been paid with the exception of the * interest item of £600, which was etill in dispute. ■ , The Town Hall, had been another problem, the board having lost; the original lessee of the picture-'rights, bufc; a new one had been secured and it-wtos hoped that the venture ...would be successful. ■;.,.. •'.- • The Valley and Swanson Roads had to be maintained to the. satisfaction .of the Highways Board. Aii endeavour had been made to avoid the complete reconditioning of these roads to allow the revenue to be used for a footpath .programme, but the Highways Council insisted on the work being done and the demand had to be complied with otherwise the council would have done it'at the district's expense. A proposal had been submitted to the .Highways Board for the construction, in concrete, penetration of that section of Swanson Road from Lincoln Road to 'Sturgcs Road. There was a balance in ';thc etrqets loan, account belonging to that road sufficient, toi meet the cost if the Highways .Board had granted the £3 to £1 subsidy applied, for, but as no funds were available for construction work tin's scheme had to be deferred till the next year. , .. . ■ , Another liability the new board would have tp face was the'cost of-.; the new Whau Creek bridge. Henderson's proportion of this was 7 per cent. . The original allocation was 11 per cent, but a deputation from.the'board.had succeeded in getting it'reduced. Even this would mean a cost of approximately -£350. Further liabilities were tlio town planning scheme and the establishment of an airport, so that'.the incoming board would certainly have its worries. L :$

In. concluding, Mr..,Leighton advised them not to.; borrow'more',money., The district wae carrying all .it cßiild beari and to borrow more ' meant increasing the rates. . .

The -candidates for the; , new board,. 11 -in number, of whom three were Boekihg 're : elcction, briefly-addressed the meeting and a .number of q'uestioi\s were asked.