PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 19521, 31 March 1927, Page 4

PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

AN EX-MAYOR'S STRICTURES Tile campaign in regard to local politics was opened last night by a speech i in the Town Hall by Mr J. Watson, an I ex-mayor. The audience numbered about sixty. The weather was unfavorable. , Mr J. M'Lachlan, an ex-councillor, presided, and he said Mr Watson, ns am old resident and ex-mayor, was well qualified to speak about the town’s, affairs. Mr Watson said that he meant to deal specially with municipal finance. Sixty years ago tJie municipal income was £361, and the expenditure £360. That was careful management. It was then a town board. Some years afterwards a borough council had succeeded the town board; streets and footpaths had been formed, waterworks established, and wharves constructed. All work was carried out faithfully air) within the limit of the means available. A few years ago a municipal overdraft of £8,300 accumulated, and the only thing showing to account for it was a tunnel and the disappearance of a few hundreds from the cash till. £1,500 of war bonds were, however, there. When Mr Watson took office as mayor the work of the borough was carried out without the expenditure exceeding the revenue, although flood damage was a big item. The decision was then made to have a revaluation of the rateable properties in the borough, but it was intended that the rates should be red (iced in conformity with the increased valuation. Had that been done _ the ratepayers would now be £I,OOO in pocket. When the extra rates came in, however, the reduction made by the present council was to halve the threepenny lighting rate. The present council collected £1,300 more in rates than was collected when the speaker was mayor. Besides the extra rates accruing from increased valuation, the present council had sold £1,500 of war bonds, which wore bringing in £O7 in interest. Continuing, the speaker said one of the present councillors had stated that ho did not know where all the money was coming from, but he (the speaker) had shown wdiere the money came from. No parricular councillor could bo blamed for what the council did. The councillors did a great deni of work, and deserved the thanks of the community. But they were not accountants. The mayor should have guided them as to what amount a penny or sixpenny rate would produce. Mr Watson then dealt with the estimates, first touching on the estimated income and afterwards reviewing the probable expenditure. The council decided to take lid off the lighting rate, which was considerate, seeing that the other rates had been increased by £I,OOO. Altogether the rates collected in the past year amounted to £4,800. That was a large amount for n small town, which, however, was well endowed with revenue-producing reserves, including one reserve used ns a sheep farm. The best income producer was the water which was sold to ship- | ping. From it they received £1,5. r io The rents received from sections, etc., | brought in £8.411. Where did the j money go to? Tho expenditure on interest on loans was £2,300, including sinking funds; payment to Fire Board, £125; tree planting, £1. r >o, lighting, £300; extension of lighting,, £l5O, and other items balancing the income and expenditure. Ope councillor tried to belittle the work done by previous councils, but the figures quoted did not show where the present council had saved money for the ratepayers. In fact, tho present council had over £3,000 more revenue than ho had when mayor. Where did the present council get the £I,OOO it had over? Why 1 did it sell the war bond and lose the I interest on it? One good thing , the j present council had. done, with the extra money was to pay off an overdraft of £6OO on the gasworks. Another good thing was the improvement of Marnndrow road, but unless a drain were put in it would he wasted money. Good kerbing had been put in, but the footpaths had not been put in order to match it. Other good things had been done by the council, but it was childish to claim (bat better work had been done than had been done by preceding councils. The present council had the money to do it with. There were a lot of 'matters being neglected, such as the work needed in George street. The council had a spurt on at present, and it seemed as if they intended to spend the money on hand as ouickly as possible. A contra rt was on hand of a kind that was usually left to a new council.

Mr Watson criticised the laying of larger water mains, which were not needed because the low pressure was due to the level of the reservoir. A storage reservoir at a higher level would have made The larger piping unnecessary. Too ranch money was expended in improving the old gasworks after the council took them orer. , On returning recently from England the speaker was shocked to see that the reclaiming of Mussel Bay had not been completed The portion reclaimed merely served to block the c°wers. The drainage was a more pressing problem on account of the reclamation. 4n intercepting sewer leading to the tunnel would dispose of the sewage effectively. Then the white elephant of a tunnel would be a godsend. That was a scheme the Health Department would sanction. The present town clerk was a capable man, but a good man should not he overworked, and in this case he should be supplied vith an assistant in tho office , , ~ In conclusion, the speaiier said he would favorably consider a request to again offer his services as mayor, but he did not favor a three-cornered contest. As a matter of fact, h*, voulcl stafid against all comers.