INCREASE IN RATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 8

INCREASE IN RATES.

MOUNT ALBERT'S POSITION. FULL INQUIRY ADVOCATED. RATEPAYER'S CRITICISM. . "I am not surprised at the enormous increase in the Mount Albert Borough rates," stated Mr. F. G. Young, president of the Morningside Ratepayers" Association, this morning. ■ "We have repeatedly drawn the .attention of ratepayers to the serious position which has been developing. "The three prime causes for the \>on\tion are unwarranted expenditure, bad administration, and -the recent change in the rating system. Five years ago loan proposals for £7.30,000 were passed by ' 'the' ' ratepayers, the loan to be expended over a' period of .14 years. That would have allowed for an average expenditure of £.54,000 per annum. In 'the past'h'Ye''years the council expended ' £470,000",'' or"" an average of £94,000 per annum. It was argued that not only was the loan a necessity, but if it were expended with a proper regard for the borough's development, as shown from time to time by the value of building" permits granted, together with the caving of maintenance charges on unformed roads, ratepayers would not have to face an increase of rates. The value of .building permits issued last year totalled .only. £B,s,ooo—approximately 20 per. cent, of what, they were when" the loan, proposals were carried. Despite this.,, the council has exceeded the normal .rate .of. .expenditure of loan money by .£200.000, or £40,000 per annum.-' * Mr. .Young instanced the borouch quarry..Only ono balance-sheet, he safd, had been before the council, and that covered, the period of 25 weeks ended on January 23, 1929. It attempted to show a profit during that time of £10.5. A balance-sheet produced by the ratepayers' association, with prices based on local market quotations, showed a loss on the quarry working of £574 lor 23 weeks—at a rate of over £1700 per annum.

"An analysis of the reading expenditure of the 102S-29 programme/' said Mr. Young, "discloses that on the four roads built under contract the costs were under the allocation by IS per cent, while in the 12 roads built under day labour josts exceeded the allocations' by 10.7 per cent. During the past six months my association has had certain matters investigated by the Auditor-General, the result being that a decision has now been reached that t'nc matters complained of by us were irregularities under the Municipal Corporations Act, and moneys improperly expended will have to be refunded. In addition to this there are many instance where extensive and expensive works have been carried out for private individuals for which no charge has been made. Rates and penalties on rates have been rebated, and in two instances, where my association brought them to the notice of the Auditor-General, they were declared to be illegally rebated and had to be brought to charge. "My association is of the opinion that the best method of instilling confidence in the minds of the ratepayers i≤ a full and impartial inquiry into the past and present administration of the council."