TIMARU ITEMS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17430, 15 April 1922, Page 6

TIMARU ITEMS.

The Borough Council. At the last meeting of the Timaru Borough Council, the Mayor (Mr P. J. Rolleston) said he was able that night to make a statement which gave him more pleasure than anything else which had happened during his occupancy of the Mayoral chair. His statement was that the Council had finished their financial year with a surplus of £1620 10s 2d. (Applause.) The Council had expressed their determination, when they had taken office, to live within their means, and they had lived up to their promise. From all points of view the Council were to be congratulated on the fact that they had turned the corne: and had finished the year witli a credit balance. (Hear, hear.) Their revenue last year had exceeded the estimate by £4252, and their expenditure had been £2631 in excess of the estimate. Interest payments accounted for about £IOOO of the excess expenditure, and streets, footways, and drains accounted for £I6OO. On the other hand, their receipts from water had been £046 in excess of the estimate; and refunds, estimated at £llOO, had brought in £2619. Since the previous meeting of the Council £6300 had been subscribed to the Council's ten-year 6 per cent, loan, the total now lent on this basis being £65,600. Quinnat Salmon. South Canterbury anglers continue to enjoy good sport amopg the quinnat ".f.lmon at "Rangitata. Messrs G. G. Lewis, AV. Stevens, and E. Blaekmore had a good time'among them on Saturday night, when they landed thirteen

'beautiful fish. The heaviest whs 3ft. Sin. long, 24 inches in girth, and turn<ed "the scales at 32 pounds. Others in the basket included » seven, a nine and an eighteen ponnder. The fish were caught on the silver devon. Antecedent Liability. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held this week, when the raising of a special loan was authorised for the purpose of paying off the Council's antecedent liability, as required by the Local Bodies' Finance Act of last session. The Mayor said that £42.290 represented the Council's antecedent liability, made up of temporary loans and Bank overdraft. On the general account there was owing £28,368; on the Electric Power and Light Account £13,869; and on the Bus Account £852. All the money had been raised, and it only remained for the Council to pass a resolution which would enable tham to issue debentures as security for the debenture holders. The effect would be that they would start this year with a clean sheet. The motion was passed and the Mayor and Town Clerk were appointed sinking fund commissioners. Borough Abattoir. An enquiry into the working of the Timaru Municipal Abattoir ended satisfactorily. There were slaughtered at the abattoirs during March 207 cattle, 1779 sheep, 189 lambs, and 10 calves, iof these, 4 cattle and 3 sheep were found diseased. The killing for March, 1921 was: 229 cattle, 1525 sheep, 170 lambs, 11 calves, and 2 pigs. The revenue for 1921 was £l3l 7s as against £164 lis 9d for March of this year. Increased abattoir charges accounted for the gfeater part of this increase in revenue.