REDUCTION AT' PETONE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 144, 21 June 1933, Page 11

REDUCTION AT' PETONE

SOME SEVERE ECONOMIES A reduction ot • the rale on the unimproved value by a halfpenny in the pound was announced by the, Mayor of Petone (Mr. D. Mclvenzie) in. a statement to ''The Post" .today. The hospital and water rates remain the same as " last year. . . • ■■".■■■• "In considering the estimates..for' this year/ said the Mayor, "the council was met with the fact that the unpaid rates total £11,091, of which the sum of approximately £6736 was for the year just closed. Heavy traffic fees have been still further reduced, in spite of strenuous protests. ■ .-.■■■• ■ .'•The overdraft stood at £713S 4a Id, which included, an amount of £5185 6s 5d for Jackson Street widening and £1708 13s 8d ior debenture redemption pending the raising of the loan moneys. The recent legislation : with regard to interest payments has helped to the extent of £1600 for the current year, which has been passed on to the ratepayers, reducing the rates on the unimproved value by a halfpenny in the pound to 6 77/100 din the pound. The hospital and water rates remain the same. "Grants and subsidies were made on the same basis as last year, when, with the exception of the Free Ambulance, they were halved. Severe economies have had to be effected in a number of directions, particularly in the engineer's.department. The question of loans conversion is at present under consideration, and is likely to prove beneficial to the borough."