Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1935. BOROUGH FINANCE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1935, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1935. BOROUGH FINANCE.

gSTI.MATES are as -uid'-s. not dogma, thus comment on the expected receipts and e.xpenditn.re for the year by lhe (Ireymouth Borough (‘oiittci! lias th he somewhat indefinite. Moreover, an aeeotinlani might not be satisfied v. iiii fhe allocations tinder certain heads. 'fhe small reduction in the Grey Hospital Board's levy appears to have aroused the enthusiasm of the Councillors, who

after till- series *of annual increases perhaps felt Thankful for small mercies. seeintr that the Hospital Hoard is as a dictator in this mat- 1 ter. There will be jreneral •'ratification that the Council was able to

restore the wage-cut for its employees. The request of the Unemployed Union to have the members’ weekly pay-sheets made earlier, so that the men may receive their wages by Friday, was reasonable.

Regarding the items estimated, on the way the various departments are shown, it will be noted that the gas works’ profit is placed at about £lBOO, the abattoir more than pays its way, and the loss on the municipal bath is but £5O. The cemetery adds to the municipal revenue as does the Greymouth sanitary service. It has been asked why those who have installed modern drainage systems should still have to pay the special sanitary rate. The charge is for the use of the water. There is a loss on the library, but seeing the useful purpose the reading rooms serve, few will cavil at this. The large sums required to pay interest and sinking funds are a real burden, and recollection of this will cause any future loan proposals to be carefully considered before sanction \is forthcoming That large sums are outstanding from defaulting ratepayers, is evident from the items dealing with the ten per cent, penalty and. outstanding revenue. The Councillors should be encouraged to safeguard those who pay against those who shirk.

Compared with last year, the accounts are expected to be better by £2OO, but had the Hospital Board’s levy not been reduced, the borough’s finances would be in a worse position than formerly. Cause for gratification does not appear to be excessive, particularly as the estimated receipts show a debit compared with estimated expenditure of over £3,700. Even that large amount will be increased if expectations of payments of outstanding revenue are not realised. Of course, these payments may be more than expected. It does not require much financial, or accountancy, knowledge to realise that the lesson to be drawn from the estimates is the importance of careful finance. The borough has not money to scatter, and faces, to-day, a problem of making up the estimated deficiency for the year. Economy is rarely a popular doctrine, as some are always adversely affected when expenditure is not sanctioned. Councillors and those they represent should realise the true position. There seems no hope of rates reduction.