MOUNT ALBERT'S ACHIEVEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 6

MOUNT ALBERT'S ACHIEVEMENT.

A 10 per cent reduction in. rates, after wiping out its overdraft, maintaining its general services at full strength and increasing its permanent roading surfaces, is a record to which the Mount Albert Borough Council can point -with pride, especially at a time when many local authorities are making further demands upon their ratepayers. The increase in population of the borough during the past three or four years has not been very great, and the Council's ability to lower its charges is therefore the more creditable. A factor which has probably assisted the to a considerable extent is the loan conversion. The borough's loans total £896,641, less £52,057 sinking fund, and the saving by reduction of interest is therefore considerable. But as the Mayor (Mr. Ferner) pointed out, solvency of the borough has not been achieved by measures involving individual hardship or any delay to normal development. Five years ago the overdraft stood at £34,000; that has been extinguished, and in addition, while no services have been discontinued and no relief work has been used, it has sealed 10 miles of roadway, laid seven miles of sewer drains, and 22 miles of concrete footways. Ratepayers in other areas will be very much interested in finding out how it was done.