BALANCE-SHEET TAGGED

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 287, 4 December 1930, Page 10

BALANCE-SHEET TAGGED

TRAVELLING EXPENSES. / DELEGATES TO CONFERENCE. CITY COUNCIL EXCEEDS LIMIT. A special meeting of the Auckland City Council was held this afternoon to consider the statutory accounts and statements for the year that ended on March 31 last. The Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, presided. The City Treasurer, Mr. A. Messer, submitted the accounts, which had been returned to him after examination by the Audit Office. These were certified by the Controller and Auditor-General to be correct, witli the exception of the following tag:— "The limit of £40 fixed by Section 105 of the Municipal Corporations .Act, 1920, for travelling expenses of delegates of the council in attending the annual meeting of the Municipal Association and the executive meetings thereof has been exceeded, and the amount, in excess requires to be refunded."

Mr. Messer reported that owing to the Municipal Conference being held in Invercargill, and the Mayor attending two executive meetings during the yea/, the amount required for travelling expenses exceeded the limit of £40 allowed by law, and the matter was receiving attention.

Council Discussion. The Mayor said the amount in excess would have to be "fixed up" and the money refunded. It showed how closely the council was tied down. There were two delegates to the conferencc and in addition meetings of the executive had to be attended in Wellington. A Member: What was the amount in excess ? The Mayor: Oh! We will find that out. Mr. M. J. Bennett said £40 was a very small sum to. be allowed. Mr. M. J. CoylC: It is absurd and unreasonable. ■ He pointed out that the city of Auckland was being placed in the same position as small byroughs. "Reply to Carping Criticism." The Mayor moved that the balancesheet and statement be adopted and finally settled. Mr. J. B. Paterson, who seconded, said the passng of tli accounts by the Auditor-General was a reply to all the carping criticism that had been heard. Ho understood the train fares alone to the Invercargill Conference had been approximately £30. The treasurer and all the officers should be congratulated on the fine result of the year's work. The motion was carried.