PETONE BOROUGH RATES

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 28, 2 August 1921, Page 7

PETONE BOROUGH RATES

INCREASE TO STAND

MAYOR'S MOTION DEFEATED.

In accordance with his notice of motion, the Mayor of. Petone, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan, moved last evening, "That the motion to increase the genera.l rate by 5-Bths of a penny in the £1 be rescinded, and that the council review the general account expenditure with a, view to reducing same."

The Mayor made a lengthy statement giving details of expenditure, which, summarised, are as follow: —

Increase in receipts other than rates, £100. Reduction in Engineer's Department: Office £130, fodder £50, blacksmithing £40, street lighting £151, sewage £50, Recreation Ground £100, tree-planting £75.. Reduction in Town Clerk's expenditure £100. Estimated excess of receipts over expenditure £175. Add credit balance in Water Account jB2BO. Total £1251. The position then would be:—Expenditure £11.055. Receipts £3050, Rates at:'3d £7313, transfer Water Maintenance Account £280, arrears of rates £100. Total £11,043. .

Councillor Churchouse seconded the motion. Ho considered that several items of expenditure showed overlapping, instancing amounts for top-dressing the Recreation Ground and tree-planting, which he contended were covered in the item of wages of permanent staff. In reply to a question by Councillor Bedingfield, the Engineer explained that it would be necessary to find extra labour for these items.

Councillors generally showed no desire to enter into the discussion of details of ths items of expenditure, which they stated had been fully discussed on the basis of the figures supplied by the officers and haft already ,been cut down to the lowest margin consistent with safety. Several councillors objected to the Mayor taking the year 1915-16 as a basis for his figures,- contending that prices for labour and material had risen considerably since that period.

The debate was at times very acrimonious, the Mayo* heatedly objecting to statements made by councillors that he was endeavouring, under impossible circumstances, to fulfil his election pledges, and also that he had not made marked objection while the ? estimates were being considered. Councillors reminded the Mayor that an attempt by the Engineer last year to cut down his estimates had failed.

At the instance of Councillor Anderson, the officers were closely questioned on several items it was proposed to reduce. On the item, "increase of receipts other than rates, £100," the Town Clerk*"stated that while he hoped the items would show an increase on that estimated he did not consider it wise to rely upon it. The heavy traffic licenses showed a tendency to decrease, as was also the case in regard to fines for breaches of the bylaws. In regard to the saving of £130 in the engineer's office by the elimination of the engineer's clerk, the Town Clerk stated that while some of the work might be done by his staff he could not be sure that all 'of it could he done,and he certainly could not spare one of his staff to go to the engineer's -office. The Town Clerk considered he had not over-estimated the amount required for interest on temporary loans. The Mayor's contention that ■ £50 could be saved on the cost of supplies for the sewage works was not borne out by the Engineer, who stated that the amount was rather under-estimated than over.

The Mayor said it was strange that whereas 80 tons of coke were needed in 1915-16, 130 tons were estimated to be used in the sewage works in the coming year. The Engineer explained that the extra cost of shoeing was caused by the increased price of material, and that whereas a 'set of shoes cost in 1915-16 7s to Bs, to-day the cost was £1 per set. Councillors showed no disposition to cut out the items in regard to expenditure on.the Recreation Ground or the tree-planting on the Esplanade, while in regard to the proposed saving on streetlighting they considered the matter problematicalCouncillor Cook said that he hoped the money could bo saved, and that councillors wonkl certainly not waste the money, but it would not be wise to reduce the rates on the mere hope of effecting a saving. The motion was lost, only the mover and seconder voting for it. »