The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3062, 20 April 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1881.

The estimates of the probable receipts and the proposed expenditure of the Napier Borough Council during the period from 24th April, 1881, to April 24th, 1882, are now before us. By clause 109 of the " Municipal Corporations Act, 1876," it is provided before any general rate can be struck the Council must cause an estimate to be prepared of the proposed expenditure during the period for which the rate is to be made, showing any sums already available for B>' . purpose, the additional sum required, ue total rateable value of the property on the valuation roll, and the rate thereon necessary to raise the money required ; and such estimate, being approved by the Council, shall be publicly notified in the borough one week before making the proposed rate. It is in accordance with the above that the estimates now before us have been prepared. They are as follow: — PBOBABLE RECEIPTS. £ S d Valuation, 1881-1882 ... 66,248 0 0 General rate of Is on above ... 2,800 0 0 Hates to April 3, 1880 ... 212 0 0 Bates to April 24, 1881 ... 1,200 0 0, Contributions to Fire Insurance Companies Association ... 150 0 0 Licenses, all kinds 1,450 0 0 Water supply rates 700 0 0 Bents reserves 4 n ß 0 0 Water permits ... ... 1. 0 0 Miscellaneous ... ~, 50 v 0 Total £6,980 0 0 PROPOSED EXPENDITUBE. £ s d Overdraft March 31, 1881 ... 6,868 1 6 Interest on above for 12 months, says 410 0 0 Salaries 503 0 0 Bent Engineer's office ... 26 0 0 Advertising, stamps, printing, &c 250 0 0 Waterworks maintenance ... 500 0 0 Grants to Fire Brigades ... 350 0 0 Lighting streete ... ... 418 0 0 Botanical gardens ... ... 200 0 0 Election expenses 60 0 0 Street maintenance ... ... 2,700 0 0 Insurances 3 0 0 Miscellaneous | 60 0 0 New offices 1,500 0 0 £6,980 0 0 The Council having passed the above estimates, we presume they obtained

some share of attention, and secured Bit;iifaction. But we do not think they will altogether satisfy the ratepayers. As far as the proposed expenditure goes the figures appear to as to bave been Brrived at for the purpose of balancing the probable receipts, without much regard to the suras that are likely to be spent. The letter of the law had to be complied with, no matter how much the spirit of the Act might be violated. And so it would seem that, without giving the ratepayers an approximate idea of what tbe probable expenditure would be, the Council have pitched upon a lot of figures that actually may represent nothing. In the probable receips it will, be seen there isset down the sum of £212, the amount of rates due on April 3,1880, but uncollected to the present day. But, in spite of the acknowledged difficulty of getting in rates, the whole of the revenue is calculated upon, and no margin is left for contingent defaults. The Bank over-. draft almost amounts to the whole annual income of the Borough, but no provision is made for its reduction. We notice that the item " salaries" is put down at the ridiculous figure of £503. Why the odd £3 unless to make receipts and expenditure balance ? We all know that the salaries paid by the Corporation are more than double £500, therefore it is to be presumed the loan is dipped into to pay the permanent staff. It is all very well to say that much of the dnties of the officers of the Corporation is in relation to the work for which the loan was raised ; but, we would ask, when that work is finished will the staff be reduced, or will the salaries be cut down to this modest £503 ? If the estimates have not been idly fabricated for the mere purpose of complying with tbe Act then they disclose a most unsatisfactory state of affairs. The sura put down for street maintenance is not more than equal to the amount annually voted by the old Provincial Council for the town roads when tbe only street we had was the Shakespeare-road.