HARD GOING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 130, 4 June 1931, Page 12

HARD GOING

EATES AND ESTIMATES TO-NIGHT'S COUNCIL MEETING The debate upon the year's estimates at to-night's meeting of tho City Council is likely to bo the most strenuous for a long time past, for tho indications are for a lively three-cornered battle. During the election campaign most candidates, with the exception of some Labour aspirants, were fully agreed on the desirability of rates reduction. Some, including most of the Ratepayers' Association candidates, definitely pledged themselves to secure rate reductions if returned to the council table. Others were definite that the desired sum was not possible of achievement. So tho stage is set for wordy warfare; all three views will be put forward tonight. From the preliminary debate on Monday evening it was made clear that the 5, 10, and 15 per cent, reductions, spoken of respectively as certain, probable, and possible, Were still quite a long way separated from achievement, and the main hope held out was that by hard cutting, as directed by the special sub-committee of the Mayor and "spending committee" chairmen —i.e., Works, Reserves, Bylaws and Legislation, and Libraries, the council's general requirements could bo brought within tho £241,000 which would be available were the rates maintained at tho same level as last year. It is understood that this second ciitting down of committee estimates has been successful in bringing the requirements within the £241,000, but that there are some councillors who are far from satisfied with this.

If, therefore, proposals, more or less in final form, are brought down for confirmation this evening to maintain last year's rates, the debate will only just bo opening. It is quite possible, in fact, that the counter-proposals which will bo put forward this evening will result in another recasting of the estimates and the postponing of ratefixing until a later meeting.

The proposed cut in salaries and wages will add to tho warmth, of the debate without a doubt, though the issue is more or less a foregone conclusion, and it is understood that there will bo further reference to the unpaid [rates of 1929-30 ■and 1930-31. -

In addition to the financial troubles which face the council in the necessity to find an additional £60,200 this year on one hand, and. decreases in revenue from various sources on the other, there is, a city business man suggested to a "Post" reporter to-day, another possibly serious complication, and that was the likelihood that reductions in valuations of city property might upset rates calculations. He was aware that in one large city estate representations for a considerable reduction in valuation had proved successful, and were there any largo number of such cases the council might find itself faced with another and quite unpleasant rates complication.