MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20259, 29 May 1940, Page 9

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

SLIGHTLY LOWER

BOROUGH RATING DECREASE OF £753 ONLY TWO AREAS DOWN SPECIAL LEVY £916 UP £2714 LESS FOR WORKS Rates to be levied by the Gisborne Borough Council this year are to be £753 lower than last year. By the adoption of the estimates last night, the council made provision for the collection of £67,112 in general special and hospital rates, compared with £67.865 a year ago. The general rate will be £1698 lower, but the special rale will be £916 higher, while the hospital rate shows an increase of £29. The rate collections decided on for this year, compared with the totals struck last year, are given below:— 1939-40. 1940-41.

Only two areas in the borough will benefit by the reduction in the rate, these being Mangapapa and outer Kaiti. In all other areas the rate remains unchanged. The general rate over all the areas is 5 13/16d in the £ on an unimproved value of £1,157,405, compared with 6 7/64d on £1,167,212 last year, and the hospital rate is 1 19/32d in the £, a reduction of l/64d, but the special rate varies in the different districts. Special Area Rates Given in the tabulation below is ‘he amount of the special rate and also the total rate in the districts, the fractions shown after the fiist figure representing G4ths of a penny in the £: Special. Total, d. d.

tDecrease of l/64d. The special rates last year were:— Gisborne, Kaiti and Whataupoko, 6 23/64d.; Te Hapara, 6 31/64d; Outer Kaiti, 4 25/64-d: Mangapapa, 4 23/64d; Fox street, 6 19/64d. In addition to the rates levied for collection, miscellaneous receipts are estimated to bring in £14,811, and after allowing for a rebate of £I2OO on general rates paid early, the total available for expenditure on works from the general account will amount to £41,602. Last .year miscellaneous receipts were estimated to produce £15,827, and they actually totalled £18,229.

The expenditure from the general account is estimated under the various main headings below, the estimates and actual expenditure last-year also being given:—

Summary of Expenditure

Esti- Estimated, Actual, mated, 1939/40 1939/40 1940/41

Totals £44,136 £43,311 £41,602 No new road work was authorised in the estimates. Salaries and wages lor street and bridge maintenance were estimated at £12,212, or approximately the same as last year. Bridge maintenance materials were expected to cost £3OO, gravel and maintenance of gravel plant and materials £1035, metal, quarry dust and sand £2137, and flood damage restoration at the Riverside road breastwork £350. Grants were included as follows: Turanganui Library, £200; Plunket Society, £SO; City Band, £75; Waihirere Domain Board. £25. Provision was made for £l5O of unauthorised expenditure. In the special accounts, a credit balance of £260 was estimated in the aerodrome account, which had a credit balance of £199 last year. There was an excess of expenditure over receipts of £2069 in the bus account last year, and a debit of £2006 was budgeted for this year.

Report by Committee

The above rates were approved by the council in committee last week, and were placed before the council at last night’s fortnightly meeting for confirmation. In a report on the matter, the committee reviewed its decisions. “The draft estimates submitted by the town clerk were discussed seriatim,” the report stated, "arid after

reducing certain items of expenditure to an absolute minimum, were approved. These reductions were necessary to keep the consolidated rate at the same level as last year. “Bearing in mind the anxious times through which we axe passing as the result of the war, and bringing in its train an inevitable increase in the cost of materials, the committee regrets it is unable to approve of a number of requests for new works to be undertaken. “Another factor is that the estimated receipts from sources other than rates are considerably less than last year, This is accounted for by the following items:—Lower commencing credil balance, non-recurring receipts, and petrol tax. The petrol lax shows a substantial reduction in view of the restrictions on the use of petrol, thereby reducing the council's estimated share of the tax. “Until the close of last financial year there were certain funds available in the stormwater drainage loan for drainage works and channelling. This loan is now fully expended and future expenditure on further works of this nature will have to be met out of general rates. "The estimates, as approved, provide for the ordinary maintenance of the borough only, with the exception of a further appropriation this year for water supply investigation, Waipaoa River, amounting to £350. “The special rates show a general increase compared with last year, this being due to debit balances in the interest accounts created by default in payment of rates; this also applies to the hospital rate. Grants and Donations “The following grants to various institutions are recommended this year: Turanganui Public Library, £200; Plunket Society, £SO; City Band, £75; Salvation Army Band, £25; Waihirere Domain Board, £25; St. John Ambulance, £5 ss; Heni Mataroa Home, £5 ss. “For the reasons previously stated, the following requests are not approved:—Sealing Score road; concrete culvert, Wainui road, in front of Kaiti School; sealing footpath, Wainui road, from deLautour road to the school, stormwater drainage, Parau street; sealing Dominion road; footpath improvements, Kaiti esplanade; tree planting; extension Marine drive; improvements workers’ dwellings; extension sewerage system, Te Hapara; public conveniences, vicinity Grey street; croquet lawns, Barry Park. “An additional street lamp at the corner of Andrew street and Chalmers road is approved. This is a small item ox expenditure, and will not affect the rates. “In regard to the request of residents of Whataupoko and the West End for the laying down of croquet courts in Barry Park, the committee regrets that this cannot be acceded to this year, but the matter will not bo overlooked.

“It is recommended that the following rebates on slaughtering fees at the abattoirs be allowed: —Cattle, Is each; sheep and lambs, Id each, provided the fees are paid on the due date. "The committee desires to stress the necessity of the expenditure provided tor each department being adhered to strictly in accordance with the estimates. There is no margin for any additional expenditure.”

Review by Mayor

A review of the estimates was given by the Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, iWP., who said that generally the financial position of the council, as disclosed by the draft balance sheet for the year 1939-40, was quite satisfactory. "The total receipts from all sources amounted to £131,142,” he said “and payments £132,685, an excess of expenditure amounting to £1543. “The year commenced with a bank overdraft of £57, and closed with an overdraft of £I6OO. An offset against this overdraft is £1620 on fixed deposit in the reserve account, and £203 due at balancing date from the Social Security Department on account of wages paid Scheme 13 workers. The excess expenditure over receipts is mainly accounted for by an increase in the cost of petrol during the last financial year—£6o0—and collection of rate arrears not reaching the estimate. “The collection of current rates last year continued at a satisfactory level, 93.341 per cent of the total struck • being received, compared with 92.946 per cent for the year 1938-39. Arrears of rates paid equalled 54 per cent, a decrease of 5 per cent compared with the px-evious year. The total rates outstanding at March 31, 1940, was £8653. At March, 1939, the figure was £BBB3, a reduction of £230. “I would like at this stage to impress upon the ratepayers who are in arrears with rates the urgent necessity of meeting their obligations. Whilst such a large sum remains unpaid it is impossible for the council to make any substantial reduction in the annual rate without curtailing necessary works. “The net public debt at April 1, 1939, was £617,174, and was reduced during the year to £608,422 by repayments amounting to £8752. With the exception of the £175,000 loan, the whole of the council’s loan liability is domiciled in New Zealand. This loan is to be renewed this year by the raising of a renewal loan in New Zealand.” “Every councillor will, agree,” Mr. Coleman concluded, "that the estimates were very thoroughly gone into, and I wish to assure ratepayers that the very minimum of expenditure was included.”

£ £ General ... • .... 29,689 27,991 Special .. • • .... 30,520 31,436 Hospital ... .... 7,656 7,685 Totals ... • £67,865 £67,112

Gisborne, Kaiti, 14 03 Whataupoko — 6 41 Te Hapai-a 6 49 14 11 Outer Kaiti 4 21 4 11 47 Mangapapa 4 50 il2 12 Fox street 6 37 13 63 '"Decrease i of 22/64d.

£ £ £ Administration 3,930 3,785 3,816 Miscellaneous. 7,851 7,238 7,579 Macrae Bath . 290 268 316 Sanitation ... 5,348 5,487 4,949 Drainage .... 2,470 2,822 2,592 Reserves 2,808 3,656 3,196 House property 290 230 265 Streets and bridges 21,329 20,027 18,889