COUNTY RATES STRUCK

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 August 1929, Page 6

COUNTY RATES STRUCK

GENERAL AND SPECIAL

Formal resolutions were recorded at the meeting of the Grey County Council yesterday striking a rate of 2§d in the pound on the rateable capital value of all the ridings, and one special rate covering the Blackball lighting area. The estimates for the year ending March 31, 1930 showed a revenue of 1 £22,459 from the following sources: — Goldfields £6,6oo,'halves £l6OO, forests £1,210, subsidy £5OO, motor traffic £750, publicans’ licenses £395, royalties £350, sundry £250, rates, at 2gd in the pound £8,219/13/4 and machinery here £2,512/6/8. Estimated expenditure on maintenance of roads and bridges, as per the engineer’s .estimates, totalled £14,019. The hospital levy will account for £4,120, and other estimated expenditure was as follows: —Interest and sinking fund £1,500, salaries £650, chairman’s honorarium £lOO, members’ expenses £l9O, insurance £350, hire and purchase of plant £415, elections £l5O, Government charges £230, licensing £lO, office expenses £450, printing and advertising £45, stationery £5O, public revenues £6O, legal expenses £7O and sundry £5O. Or. J. Ryall, who presided, said that he felt that there was little chance of reducing the rate from what it was last year, as there was earthquake damage, the need of new machinery, and risk of floods to be taken into consideration.

Mr. M. Keating, County Clerk, mentioned that there was a balance of £1,500 left from last year. He pointed out that under the provisions of the Finance Act of 1922 if, at the end of the year the expenditure exceeded the estimates, every councillor was personally liable for the deficiency. Although the rate was the same as last year the hospital levy, which was included in it, had gone up by from £3OO to £4OO. >

Cr. H. G. Carter said that he had gone into the estimates carefully to see if anything could be cut out, but as they did not know what was ahead, he thought it was not possible to do so.

Cr. A. Robinson suggested the possibility of a big flood although there had not been one for some time. The formal motions were then put and carried.

The clerk stated that £lOB/15/-, less £55 on hand, was required for the special rate covering the loan for lighting the township of Blackball. The amount of £53/15/- could be raised by a separate rate of id in the pound on the capital value of £42,705 in the special rating area. The motion was carried to levy the rate.