THE COMING YEAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 153, 28 June 1912, Page 3

THE COMING YEAR

CITY ESTIMATES AND RATES EXPENDITURE TO BE CUT DOWK. COUNCILLORS PROTEST., The City Council dealt last evening with tho estimates for the civic year, 1912-15. The estimates of receipts and expenditure were set forth as follow : — RECEIPTS. Actual Eet'm'd Receipts Receipts 1911-12 1912-13 EentE.— • 5 £ Redainied land ... 19,612 19,871 Market reserve ... 92b 926 To Aro Pa 21 21 Pahiatua 727 68S Si Widening Prop'iies 5,573 6,500 City Reserves ..." 702 700 Suudry .., ... 440 450 Licenses. — Auctioneers ... ... 885 900 Dogs ..< >.. 1,017 1,020 Publicans ... „. 1,916 1,900 i Vehicles * ... ... 675 700 Wholesale ... ... 460 460 Other licenses „. 961 960 Building fees ... ... 1,120 1,150 \ Cemetery fees 1,77-1- 1,800 Government Subsidy ... 450 450 TownHalL— Lettings... 2,235 2,500 Recitals ... ... 498 500 Baths 514 600 Public lavatories ... 359 300 Sanitation fee ... ..« 827 500 Sinking Fuud Cbmmis* > 6ioner6 annual paym't 200 200 Tees from reserves „. 523 530 Faze Brigade account, rent .and sei vices ... ' ... 570 £70 Gas Co., Ltd., annual payment ... ... 301 325 Intei est and Commission ... ... 458 460 Sundries ... ... 779 800 General rate at 2-10 in the £ will produce 87,650 Balance, being estimated excess # of expenditure over receipts ' 13,221 £146,769 EXPENDITURE. Actual EstWd 1911-12 1912-13 £ £ Street Work* 32,562 7 37,742 Scavenging and Street Watering 9,243 9,500 Collection and Destruction of refuse ... 6,458 7,750 Drainage ... ... 6,161 6,462 Fire Brigade ... „. 7,165 7,383 City reserves ... *.. 7,942 10,561 Cemetery 1,520 1,530 Street lighting ... ... 8,711 9,000 Baths 991 580 Town HalL — Current Expenses 1,031 1,050 Expenses of recitals 747 500 Interest on loans ... 3,248 3,248 Printing, Advertising and Stationery ... 1,101 1,100 Sanitary Services- ... 1,771 1,500 Land at Maranui ... 1,101 1,090 Technical School ... 300 300 Subsidy to City Bands 220 250 N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 50 1,000 Salaries ... 6,761 6,761 Miscellaneous (office expenses, cost of electricians, elections, insurances, fuel, lighting, and all sundries) 6,865 6,500 Zoo' 1,894 1,868 City conveniences and bathing sheds ... 834 750 Payment on account, Willie-street purchase (Buthie) ... 1,227 1,227 Pnblic health. 91 100 Expenditure. . ' £ s. d. Kilbirnie Recreation Gr'nd 2,000 0 0 Forming Lyall Bay Reserve 750 0 0 Erection of sanitary conveniences 1,000 0 0 Half of cost of bath, house, Lyall Bay , 1,400 0 0 Administration^ Mewtown, Museum ... _ 250 0 0 Street Paving Loans. — £55,000 at 4 per cent and charges 2,225 0 0 £3575 at 4£ per cent. ... 162 0 0 £10,000 at % per cent. ... 451 0 0 Street Widening Loan. — £120,000 at 4 per cent. ... 4,800 0 0 Consolidation Loan, (3-sth to general account) ... 2,800 Q 0 Overdraft Loan, ' 1897, £41,000, at 4 per cent. 1,476 0 0 Destructor Loan, £20,000 at 4 per cent. ... ... 800 6 0 Te 'Aro: Reclamation Loan, 1897, £3350, at 4£ per cent. ... 151 0 0 Horse Tramway Loan £20,000 at 4 per cent.. 800 0 0 City Works Loan, £35,000 * at 4 per cent 1,400 0 0 Hunter-street Endowment Loan, £16,500 at 4 per cent ... 660 0 0 Willis-street and Chews-lane. — Widening Loan, £46,000 at 4£ per cent 2,070 0 0 Interest on overdraft and deposit 1,250 0 0 Sinking Fund Chargeable to General Account. Sireefc Widening Loan, . £120,000 at 1 per cent. 1,200' 0 0 Street-Paving and Town Hall Loan. — £105,000 at 1 per cent ... 1,050 0 0 £25,375 at 1 per cent. ... 253 15 0 £15,354 at 1 per cent. ... 153 10 10 Portion of th« Consolidated * Loan, 3-st.hs of £2000 1,200 0 0 City Works Loan, £35,000 at 1 per cent. ... ' ... 350 0 0 Destructor Loan £20,000 at 1 per cent 200 0 0 Hunter-street Endowment Loan, £16,500 at 1 per cent 165 0 0 £146,769 0 0 REDUCTIONS RECOMMENDED. Tho Finance Committee recommended thnt the estimates for the year 1912-18, as altered by tho following reductions, be passed : — £ Stiaefc Works „. „., „, 5,200 j Reserves „« ... 2,700 Sanitary Conveniences » 1,000 Collection of Refuse ... „.. 1,200 i Bathhouse, Lyall Bay ... ... 1,400 Street Lighting • 300 Pir© Brigade 300 Scavenging, Street Watering and drainage ... ... ... 500 Museum ... .., „. ... 250 £12,550 RATES FOR THE YEAR. The committeo further Tccommeuded that the rates for the year 1912-13 be as follow : — ' On Unimproved Value. Producing c S General Rale. 2 l-10d ... 87,650 Library Rate, l-13d 3,179 (b) City Improvemonta Interest, l-5d 7,010 (b) Sanitation Loan Interest, No. 1, 7-20 d 9,398 ! (b) Sanitation Loan Interest, No, 2, l-26d 1,342 (b) Consolidation Loan Interest-, MOd • 3,485 (c) Melrose Improvements Loan Interest, l-'dd 1,883 (dj Outlying Dietmts Drainage i Loan Interest, Q-7d ta &08SJ

(c) Wadestown Tramway Loan Interest, 3£d .., „, 1,657 On Annual Value. (a) Water Rate 2£d 23,907 (a) Hospital and Charitable -Aid Rate, 2^d .... -~ „. 10,121 £154,720 The rates are levied as follow : — (a) On Greater Wellington, (b) on Wellington ac originally bounded, (c) on Melrose, (d) on outlying districts, (c) on Wadestown. OBJECTIONS TO REDUCTION. Councillor Frost pointed out that the reduction of £2700 in ths re-serves estimates would simply mean the employment of fewer men during the coming year. Councillor Hindmarsh objected to the reduction of £250 on the item of the Museum. Councillor Atkinson, supported this objection. MAYORAL EXPLANATION. The Mayor stated that the estimates as originally made out showed a probable deficit of £13,221. He did not believe that they should fall behind in this way. He thought that revenue should balance expenditure. At the end of last year they had a credit balance oq working acconnt of over £1000, bub special works totalled £22,550, and the net result was a deficit of £11,000. It was not likely the income would exceed the estimates, and the expenditure would have to be cut down. If towards, the end of the year the revenue- increased, then come of the works cut out might be un- ! dertaken. With regard to Councillor Frost's statement, he would point out that the reduction in the reserves estimates would only bring it down to something like it was last year, and consequently there need be no reduction in labour. ♦ When all the reductions recommended were made^ there, would be still a deficit of over £300. The time to make expansion would be a year or two later, when the city leases would be renewed. The revenue from this source would be some £12,000. i CONVENIENCES WANTED. Councillor Barber, referring to the reducbions proposed, asserted that Wellington was miles behind other New Zealand cities in its sanitary conveniences. (Cries of "No, no.") • Councillor Fletcher said that while recognising there were insufficient sanitary conveniences in Wellington- it was wrong to say we were far behind other New Zealand cities. The position seemed to be that if the city wanted greater on street scavenging, sanitary conveniences, etc., and there were insufficient funds to carry them out, they must be prepared to raise a small rate to do it. CITY MUST NOT STAND STILL. Councilor Smith thought that some of the present macadam streets should be> wood-blocked, as this would effect a great saying in maintenance. Councillor Shirtcliffef said the Teason why they had not the money to carry out the works was in items such as the £1000 to the Academy of Fin© Art 3, £2000 to the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground, and £750 for improving Lyall Bay Reserve. It was only proposed to deduct amounts from the estimates which provided for £12,000 additional expenditure over last year. There would be no reduction in the general maintenance expenditure. ITEM STRUCK OUT. Councillor Hindmarsh's amendment that the £250 reduction on the Museum item should be struck out waa carried on the voices. Councillor Godber moved that the item of a reduction of £1000 for sanitary considerations be struck outCouncillor Fuller seconded. ARE RATES LOWER NOW? Councillor Fitzgerald eaid that the rates in the City of Wellington were lower than they were five yeare ago. Councillors: Nonsense. The value of land has gone up. Councillor Fitzgerald contended that the council* should face the difficulty and strike a small rate. He admitted that earlier rates were on much lower values. If Councillor Barber -wanted works for Newtown, lie should grasp the situation manfully and move for a> small rate in addition. AMENDMENT CARRIED. The amendment was then put, and a division resulted as follows: Ayes 12, Noes 3. The Ayes were — Councillors Barber, Cameron, Cohen, «Fitz2erald, Fletcher, Frost, Fuller, Godber, Hindmarch, M'Kenzie, Smith, and Trevor; Noes— The .Mayor and Councillors Atkinson and Shirtcliffe. The amendment was therefore carried, and the item ie the reduction list struck out. The estimates as reduced were then passed. The Mayor moved that the clause | striking the, general rate be adopted. The Wadestown rate of 3id for interest and sinking fund on the tramway loan was adopted without alteration. INCREASE OF RATES MOVED, i Councillor Fletcher moved that the general i-ate of 2 l-10d be increased by l-10d. He did this with reluctance, but at the same time recognised 'that certain works set down for reduction should be carried out. One-tenth of a penny would give about £4450, half the amount they really required. Councillor Smith seconded the amendment. ' INCREASE, OF RATES, INCREASE OF RENTS. Couneilloi' Barbel' urged -that an increase of rates would mean simply an increase of rent, and up would go the cost of living. Councillor Fuller enumerated several non-recurring items, which would effect a saving of £7000, when wiped out. As Boon as the ratee went up une-tenth the landlord put up lenttu God knows where. Councillor Fuller: I venture to say if we go on, we can end the year with only a small overdraft, and have some more payable ar*ets at that. Councillor Shirtcliffe characterised Councillor Fuller's speech' as the best he had delivered in the council. Councillor Hindmareh: Then you're as ignorant as he Is. Both Councillors Fuller and Sbirtcliffe protested strongly, and the Mayor called Councillor Hindmarsh to order. Councillor M'Kenzie eaid house rent was fixed by demand and supply. NOT IN A POSITION TO INCREASE RATES. ' Councillor M'Kenzie: We aren't in a position to' increase the rates now. Every man, v/onian, and child in the city,contributes 10s now towards the labour employed by the council, working it out on a basis of £30,000 a year, and a population of 65,000. Councillor Fitzgerald pointed out that the only rate the council could touch was the general rate. Councillors should nob be bound by flimsy pledgee not to raise the rate?. Couneilloi* Cohen: Rats. . The Mayor: I must a?k councillors not to use 6uch interjections. The question was then put as to whether the general rate should be raised l-10d in accordance with the amendment by Councillor Fletcher. The amendment was lost by 11 votes to 4. The voting was:— Ayes: Councillors Fitzgerald, Fletcher, Hindmarsh, and Smith. Noes-: The Mayor, and Councillors Barber, Cameron, Cohen, Frost, Fuller, C4odber, M'Kenzie, Shirtcliffe, and Trevor. The rates as originally recommended were then adopted, and the debate closed.