MAKARA COUNTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 948, 15 October 1910, Page 14

MAKARA COUNTY.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT. . The monthly meeting ! of. the Makara County Council, held '•yesterday, 'was attended by Councillors F. T. Moore (chairman), J. H- Hegarty, F.. Bryant,. ,F. •. Eastwood,,-;G.'- Monk, ~and . F.' Hawkins.. ;There ; was a, lengthy discussion . .On the V.'question' -.of : t trees 'overhanging county roads. The council 'decided to cut trees 'back where necessary, • and compel owners to pay tho cost of the work. .;-•*-' A letter was received from::-the Hospital and Charitable' Aid Department,, drawing attejition to.the fact that' the council under the Act had to i delegate the control 'of -the. spread of- infectious 'diseases to' the.. District,.' Hospital! Boayd: . ganitary inspection within the district : ,would, be carried out by a competent inspector, . responsible to the District; Health Officer. The council decided' to; consent ''out-; lined by tho Department. A -petition was received, from six owners of land in' the' county,. asking, that tho route of the present Horokiwi Road be altered so as to lessen, the distance from'Horokiwi ;■ to Potone. A suggested deviation,. . through:. Section 78, would reduce -the present distance by about one half. , . The council resolved to reply to the petitioners that, if they formed- a special .rating district, and the necessary 'security.-.for the: expenditure involved, the council would' accede to their request.

, The following annual report, presented' by the; chairman, was'adopted' without discussion:—

The balance-sheet for the year ending March 21, '1910, shows 'receipts amounting .to' £3415'105.' 6d.',' of 'which sum' £536 12s; lOd. was raised by-overdraft. The chief items of expenditure are:— Maintenance of roads and bridges,'. £1899 ,10s., Id;';' hospital and, charitable': ' £'529,;': 19s. ; 7d.-; Vadministration, salaries,'etc.,- £359 Bs. 4d. The statement of assets and liabilities shows a surplus of £300 ss. 7d. at the end of tho financial year, which result is highly satisfactory, and confirms the: opinion that the roads and '.bridge:, in-; the county can be sufficiently maintained, and 'all other outgoings provided,.' with' a rate of Jd. in-the £. The adjustment of accounts 'with; the. Hutt County was satisfactorily'arranged towards the end of the financial year,, the Hutt County paying over the sum of £2000 on ' April 1, 1910, and waiving ' all claims' for . rent and work done on Makara County Roads to the date of settlements The past three years' balance-sheet's of. the comity -show that; ratepayers have paid. 25 per cent, per annum less ; rates than .was formerly, the case, while' roads and bridges have been maintained in a better state of efficiency than during the Hutt County regime. This result shows' the wisdom of forming a separate county. The Town Clerk, Wellington City, notified that his council could not entertain a claim by the Makara Council for abattoir fees.—Received. . Accounts amounting to ,£186 ; 10s. Id. were' passed for payment. :