COUNCIL FINANCES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1934, Page 10

COUNCIL FINANCES

(To the Editor.) Sir,—After reading in your paper the report of the Wellington City Council's finances, arid the remarks of the Mayor, I feel like crying with the prophet of old, "How long, 0 Lord, how long?" The: council's finances are- in a very healthy condition, so I read; in fact,' the council hasvbalaneed its budgetv and finds itself in : possession of a surplus. . What joy such a rare state must bring—and yet, paradoxically, the Mayor wishes to delete the clause-which -irill reduce the rates. Last month I balanced my own budget, but witnont any surplus; in fact, only by renouncing one or two anticipated comforts —some may say necessaries—was I able to; pay my rate demand.. I am not the owner of a large; property, but just one who is endeavouring, to buy a very small.Home; which .is unfortunately so situated that the rates are particularly high. I think the Mayor and councillors need fresh visional feel they hare become blind to the principal functions, of theirvtrust-for it^is a trust-as the stewards'of the people's money.—l am, etc., -;V " • '-';. V HOUSEHOLDER, ' (To the Editor.) .'".. .3 l'—The f^estion of a surplus in-the The method of allocating the cis also a very important item. ■ It is amusS-to read m "The Post" theprote^S^e -Ratepayers' Association at, the -Mayor's' suggestion to spend at least some considerable portion of it by employing more men on necessary works. The Ratepayer^ Association is probably a worthy'body of business people, but their interests are mainly bound up in the main part of the S£t vT* ? l n,eceSßar y conveniences exist Kates have been collected from the H~£ ? ar + f °f WeUi"gt^. and, possibly rghtly, the. centre of the city has been attended to first. 'But do these earnest business people realise, that ratepayers in the suburbs have beei.. paying- and are still paying (in interest- on loans etc) for these major and I'may.-allow necessary and important works '-■•■- •-■;■:- May I ask "What of the suburbs''" Especially may I ask "What'of the Morn:- ---!??*??-?' oad?" For *ea*s the.residents of this jhill suburb have been agitating for something to.be i%ne.; It; ik one of the oldest residential suburbs ofWellin<'tdri/• and the .oldest resident. has ye£: to'-know yhere ia.thc district had any city revenue been expended.^ Work heen dbrie^or partially; done—never a. job completed yet. -But" without exception; the work has been either loan money—very small—or from fniids for unemployed in times of depression. :'."."".•::-•■ ; ' ■' The Moraingtbn Eoad .is a splendid example of the' attention 'paid to this district.' Over ten years ago this job was started—as a tram rbute^-and'financed by subscriptions to; employ' returned men whom a; grateful country could not otherwise assist. . The tram has been forgotten by the-coimcil, and it Bfeems the road has likewise; been forgotten. ,A - standing inyitation: to the: works 'committee3 of the present council to visit this dangerous road has been.-.awaiting;,acceptance,for months, but it seems: as,if.>no member has' yet found the direction. May I: suggest a visit- by councU -busJ Take the: tram. ;to Brooklyn and await .the bus at the terminus. Do' not come until the afternoon, and be prepared t^ wait up to half an honr. On. the down run. bacK^to :- the tram is the Mqrnington Road;- A. form, of tar sealing (ho ■ complaints)-has been usted on /Mills;. Eoad, but from; the, turn on to Mornington .Road ;j-dhi no!: We are sure the council Js not aware of this route. It is a. road■ only in name. Now, Sir, may I suggest that some part of this surplus should—in; fairness* to. the ufes ' and the ratepayers, to> say : nothing of the council bustes—-be: used \ to; put this road in proper and safe condition. Ijwould particularly -draw attention^ to ' the ■'. dangerous portion from Lincoln Street to Taft Street. A narrow, slightly-raised^ footpath has been constructed at; intervals along this road, but it is's& narrow here that the bus has to ran over the; footpath to negotiate the bends.—l am, etc., J. STAPLES, Chairman, Vogeltown .and Mornington Municipal Electors' Association; (To the Editor.) Sir,—The -. comment by the Mayor that rates muat be secured to proride for excessive expenditure displays an ■, utter disregard of the ability of a large number of ratepayers to meet the demands and the continued threatening of enforced penalties. Ruin faces many deserving citizens. One section, the producers, has been contending with unprofitable returns for several years, drifting to bankruptcy. The workers are on the subsistence level. Many relief workers are actually receiving a- return, greater than that: o£: impoverished ratepayers. Foe many jobs the competition is so severe that relief. work pay is unobtainable. The Mayor ; and councillors cannot longer continue failing to adapt themselves to the enforced monetary, stringency.—l am, etc., . VICTIM..