THE CITY FINANCES.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 87, 13 April 1894, Page 4

THE CITY FINANCES.

1 The* 'Finance Committeo of tho City _^_Connoil lost night presented its annual report, as follows :— Tho Committeo are glad to state that the rosult of lost year's transactions is very satisfactory. The receipts generally ciuno wejl op to the estimates, and in some cases exceeded them— rents, licenses, and water all showing an inoreaae. Several items of expenditure exceeded the estimates, viz : — Scavenging and street watering, collection of night-soil, collection of refuse, and general street works; but other itemo being below the estimates, and the receipt* generally in excess, no addition was made to the overdraft—on the contrary, a slight reduction took place, tho amonnt dne to the Bank on General Account at Ist April, 1893, being jeiO.lCT and at 31st March, 1894, &>,975. Councillors will note with satisfaction the fact that the fnll amonnt' of the mortgage on the land at Wainui, late the property of Mr. A. .Russell, was paid off out of last year's revenue, thus completing the freeh<Jl'?.tiS 6 of the Corporation to all land within the watershed of the Wainni. o-mata reservoir not included in the Forest Reserve. Turning to the estimates for this year the Committee are glad to be able to state that ft somewhat larger amount than uanal can be appropriated for general street works and also that a sum of .£2OOO can be devotee to the extension of water mains in the city. It will be noted that the amonnt receivable for rent of Te Aro reclaimed land has this year been put down separately, in order that ' half of it maybe devoted to the construction of streets on that property, and the other »«* to the rednotion of the amonnt still due' to the bank on Te Aro Reclamation AcebuaE ' The Committee are pleased to state taa'tit will not be necessary to increase ♦he rates this yy, •» although th* -racial rate for intereiton Sanitation Loan wilt Aquire to wanted for charitable aid is somewhat less £?D? D lM } '*?*,• an 2 will » 1!ow <* the rate beingreduoed from3id to 3d, thus leaving the gross amount of rates the same as last rear The Council holds mortgages amounting to «695 16s 8d onland sold toforesbore owners at reduced pnoes, in settlement of their claims, bearing interest at 6 per cent, per annum. With the amount of tho B o mort. gages, and it is hoped a constantly inoree,Binir •mount to be derived from future leases of th*" land, it is expected that tho debt an the estate will in » very few years be entirely paid off It may be noted in connection with the Lambton Reo aimed Land, that 15 lessees l»ve taken new leases of 3i seotions, under te"? °/ the Y^lington Corporation Leaseholds Aot producing an increase in the rent roll of 135 9d per annum.

rhe Committee have to recommend the Following small increases of salary, believing thorn to be well deserved : -Mr. Trimble. nl«rk in the public office, .«20 per annum (£l7O to £190) i Mr. Keefe, oadet in the City Surveyor's offioe. -820 per annum {XW to £80)- H. L Godber, office lad >n the Town Clerk's office, 5s per week (10s to 15b). Applications for increase have been reoeived from the Inspeotor of Buildings and the captain of the Fire Brigade. The Committee are unable to recommend that the former be acceded to, Mr. Watson, although giving every satisfaction, having been in the , service of the Corporation only ten months. They recommend that the latter application be referred to the Fire Brigade Committee for consideration, and report to next meeting of the Council. The Committee recommend:— l. That the attaohed estimates of receipts and expenditure be approved by th« Council, i. lnat j the rates for tho ourrent year be as enumer. ated above. 3. That a By-law be passed »n terms of clause 256 of the Mumoipal Cor. porations Aot, to enable the Council to compel owners or occupiers of premises m front of whioh the Corporation has paved the footpath for half its width, to pay for paving the other half. 4. That in cases where owners or occupiers arc so compelled to pay, tho price for concrete and asphalt be reduced to 2s lOd per foot frontage respectively. The Committee have further considered the question of the proposed widening of Fraser's-lane, and while sympathising with tho efforts whioh are being made to improve the locality, are yet of opinion that the Counoil is unable to provide the large amount whioh would be necessary to oarry out tho work, and therefore reoominond that no further stops be taken in the matter at present. Tho following statement of the present position of the Corporation accounts was apponded : — General account overdrawn (including i£7sB due on Library account), .£9075; Te Aro Reclamation account overdrawn, cemetery account overdrawn, J2530; city improvements loan account overdrawn, isl6o ; sanitation loan account overdrawn, J67490 ; total overdrawn, ■fil 3,980. Amounts at fixed deposit, bearing interest :— Sanitation loan account (5 per cent.), .£142,000 ; city improvements loan account (4J per cent.), JB9000 ; total amount on deposit, .£151,000. The estima f es for the coming year were laid before the Council, as was also a list of works proposed to be done. ' The Mayor, in moving the~adoption of the report, commented on the transactions of the past year, and expressed the opinion that the operations had been very satisfactory. The motion was seoonded by Counoillor Harris. Councillor Fenty moved as an amendment that the Building Inspector's application for an incroaso of salary to .£2OO should be granted after he had been a year in the service. He considered Mr. Watson a most efficfent servant. Councillor Devine seconded pro forma. The amendment was lost, and the report as printed was adopted.