STEADY PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 92, 18 April 1916, Page 5

STEADY PROGRESS

YEAR'S WORK AT PETONE

THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE.

REVIEWED BY THE MAYOR

I In his annual report for the year ending 31st March, the Mayor of Petone (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) congratulates councillors upon the very evident progress made in .many directions of municipal activity, and the strong faith shown.in the town's future by residents .generally. This had been, very niaufest during the past year, notwithstanding the great war and was a splendid augury for the future. After referring to the strong demand for house accommodation and the possibility of the council entering en a housebuilding campaign, the Mayor, reviewed the work of the year, which he said had been in excess of the usual amount and would enable the. council to go slow 'in several directions. These extras included re-erection of dressing-sheds and erection of central dressing-shed on the beach; completion, of bowling green, tennis courts and croquet lawn; boat shelter and boat sheds; completion of power-house, plant and ejector stations, and extension of sewerage scheme. FINANCIAL POSITION. The receipts under most heads . were in excess of the estimates; the total being £9771 16s 9d. This does not include the estimated transfer of £500 from the gasworking account, which, was absorbed by the cost of. holder foundations, £420. The-principal items of receipts are:—Rates, £698b Is lid ; Government subsidy, £450; dog tax, £162. 18s 6d; rent of municipal shops,. £327 12s; sanitary receipts. £202 175.'6dl; Sale of Sydney-street ■ section, £400;' [ transfer from water account, £230 '.■'..' ;

The expenditure eliminating the .sum of £9SO, temporary loan to gas Working, amounted to £10,770, the principal items being :—Wages, £2437 6s 3d ; Fire Board levy, £422 ; sanitary . service,- - £1862 ; Recreation Ground,1 £449; hospital and charitable aid, £1000 11s 4d ; interest; £1164.

On the gas working account the receipts .exceeded the estimates by £86. The principal items %vere : Gas sales, £8658; tar, £645; coke, £1401; total, £11,481.

The principal items of expenditure were : Wages, £2664; coal and freight, £4930; material principally for new holder foundation's, £344; maintenance and freights, £449 ; new meters, £183; interest, £997; sinking fund,'£l2o; transfer to renewals fund, £225, leaving a credit balance of £5 17s Id.

The council had been exceedingly fortunate in obtaining, this holder at prewar prices. As present prices- for 6teel had increased, it would.cost at least SO per cent. more. The cost, £5498, would be met out of revenue.

The increased price of coal, 3s per ton, would affect the finances of the works to some extent, but still he believed, under the new control, they would accomplish all they had planned to do. . ' ,

The gasfitting department showed a profit of £23 14s in the cash account. In addition there -were * outstanding cooker i-ents amounting to £264 11s Id, and stock in shop, less liabilities, representing a net profit of £8 9s sd. Coal sales amounted to £2379 8s 7d,; and the accumulated net, profit to £252.

WATER MAINTENANCE.

Receipts on the- water maintenance account reached £2296 2s 3d, and the credit balance to 17s 6d.

Dama.ge caused by.a severe thunderstorm, and expenditure upon extension of the service to Collins-street and in Cuba-street North, as well as expenditure rendered necessary by.j,he.;.op.eratiori of tht"Sewerage Department, increased ■ tbe expenditure above normal. As to the future, should it be necessary to increase the supply of water, a scheme of artesian wells pumping the waiter into the existing mains should be considered. Further, as soon as circumstances permitted, a system of mechanical filtra•tion should be adopted to deal with the impurities, harmless though they may be, of the present supply.

SEWERAGE.

Under the sewerage scheme, the total amount raised by loans to the end of the year amounted to £52,400. In addition, a loan of £6000 was raised for. advances to ratepayers. Of the sewerage loan proper there was still £10,000 to be received, and the balance available was £10,734.

OTHER MATTERS,

The balance-sheet showed that of the sea-front improvement loan ,of £5000 raised there was a balance in hand of £434 4s. It was certain that the general account this y-ear must be drawn upon in order that the improvements should come up to the desires of the council.

The- district fund, covering the operations of the general account, water maintenance account, gasworking, and the minor, accounts of the borough showed a. credit at the. bank of £44 Is lOd, with cash in treasurer's hands of £163 Os Bd. This position is largely due to the fact that the temporary loans amount to £8702, lodged with the council at i per cent.

In conclusion, the Mayor thanked the staff generally for the loyal and consistent service rendered at all times. The work was steadily increasing with the increased activities of the council. In fact, it had doubled during ithe past five years. " The. future of the town is assured, and I feel confident that the work done by the council is appreciated by our townspeople generally."