Paparua’s financial position healthy

Press, 21 January 1982, Page 4

Paparua’s financial position healthy

The Paparua County's rural district council’s bank balance is likely to be healthy at the end of this financial year. The estimated final credit balance at March 31, after a recent revision, was $60,147, said Mr B. L. Mooar, the County Clerk, in a report to the council. The chairman, Cr A.Y. Shuker, said he did not think the council had the ability to spend the money before March 31.

He said that no additional National Roads Board subsidies would be available, and he asked councillors to consider retaining that balance until the new financial year. S - The balance could be re-

duced slightly, however, because oi the council’s wish that $3348 be retained in the county library and cultural centre operating account, instead of being transferred to its own account. The council voted to have the total district account transfers from the library account, $9050, retained by the latter, to spend on new books in the next two months.

Cr Shuker said that if the library retained the surplus, “it must have an impact on their requirements for the next year.” The Paparua County Council’s general account wages section was expected to be underspent by: $51,200, by March 31.

The council did not favour requirements outlined by the Noxious Plants Council for eligibility for an extended subsidy of 50 per cent, for gorse spraying, where portable motorised blowers were used.

One requirement was that a group of, for instance, farmers had to be set up, with a committee and a chairman.

“Why do we have to have a group just to get a subsidy?" said Cr D. R. Shipley. that only contractors’ work would "qualify for the subsidy, and not the farmers' labour, was also seen as a disadvantage. “It is not the type of work that a contractor would be involved with;" said Cr Shipley.