ONSLOW BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 239, 2 July 1908, Page 8

ONSLOW BOROUGH COUNCIL.

REDUCTION IN RATES. A special meeting of the Onslow Borough Council was held last night for consideration of tho * estimates and rates , for the year 1908-9.' There were present:—The Mayor (Mr. J. G. Harkness), and Councillors Watson, Plimmer, Alpin, Kiernan, and Fitzgerald. , ■, : • ,' The estimated receipts were set down at £024 lis. 1 5d., and the. expenditure at £2120, leaving a balance of £1509 Bs. 7d. to be provided for by general rates. The expenditure was subsequently reduced by £167, leaving a balance of £1423; to provide for this, a general.rate' of ljd. in the £ was struck, this being a reduction of }d. in tho £ from the previous year. The valuation of the Borough is now £280,124, as against £169,349 for. 1907. ' . . m The lighting rate (five more" lamps provided ■for) was struck at 5-32 d. in the £, leaving £62 of the t-otaV amount required to be pro-, vided out of the balance. at credit of the account. ■ Last year's rato was Jd. in the £, or 8-32 d., a considerable reduction. The hospital'and charitable aid rate was fixed at 5-64 d., leaving £33 15s. of the total amount required for the balance to credit this account. Last year's rate was' 3-16 d., or 12-64 d. A . . . ' The works loan rate (interest and sinking fund on £7600), was 3-16 d., or 6-32 d., as against 11-32 d. last, year, leaving £94 to be provided for.. The Hutt;Road Loan, formerly £800, is now reduced to £560. A special rato to provide for the taking up of one* debenture of £80 'and interest at 5 per cent, on £560, of l-l?d., or 2-32 d. was struck, as : against'3-32d. the previous year. The combined rates struck total as much this year as the/general rate alone last year. . . - DRAINAGE* AREA. The Council passed a special resolution redefining tho drainage area, of Kaiwarra by sundry alterations; and additions, and subsequently passed a special resolution levying a rato of -Jd. in the £ on the unimproved value' of the defined area. , Tho Joan is £116-!. ' ' NEW NAME FOR CROFTON. A letter was received from tho Secretary to tho Post Office with reference to the proposal for establishing a telephone office at Crofton, arid pointing out that an ofßco designated as Crofton, m Wanganui, already existed. It was suggested that a new name be submitted, the same to be a Maori one, in accordance with the rule of the Department. ' ' ' The Mayor said that as it was desirable to ascertain the views of tho residents of Crofton, tho matter might stand over until the next general meeting. This was agreed toi The meeting was somewhat protracted, committee, business occupying from 7.30 to 10.45 p.m.,