COUNTY ESTIMATES

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1937, Page 9

COUNTY ESTIMATES

GENERAL RATE UNALTERED Hospital Levy Increase At last evening’s special meeting of the Grey' County' Council, there were present:' Crs. J. W. Hannan (Chair), J. Ryall, J. Mulcare, H. G. Carter, A. McDonnell, A. Donnellan, A. Robin-, son and G. Blair. The Chairman referred to the loss sustained .by Cr. Mulcare, in the death of his father. A motion of condolence was carried, members standing in silence. Cr. Mulcare asked why' no increase was estimated in rate receipts. The Clerk (Mr. M. Keating), said that last, year many outstanding rates were paid. The increased building was taken into consideration in the estimating of receipts. ( 'rhe Clerk said that ho felt certain the Council could come out all right at the end of the year. Cr. Ryall: We have never had £lO,OOO in Government grants. The Engineer (Mr. J. Higgins), replied that they had in the past. Cr. Ryall moved that the estimates as submitted be approved. The motion was seconded by Cr. Robinson. The Clerk explained that the gold subsidy made the large difference in the receipts for the two years. The general rate of 21d in the £ would remain the same as last year. The increased Hospital levy would mean an increase of Id in the Hospital rate. The motion was carried, details of the estimates being as follows, receipts for the year ended March 31, 1937, being shown in parentheses:— RECEIPTS. Ratefe (£8,571 4s 2d) £8,500; Vehicle Licenses (£3,101 Is Id) £3,200; Sundry Licenses (£425 Ils 6d) £400; Rents (£76 5s 8d) £6O; Sales Material (£591 9s 2d), £400; Refunds Compensation (£292 17s), £250; State Forests (£1,978 16s Id) £1850; Halves and Thirds (£2,009 18s lid), £2,000; Goldfields (£5,856 12s 6d) £5,000; No. 5 Scheme (£5,723 11s 6d), £3,000; Main Highways (£7,378 Ils lid), £5,385; Government Grants (£3,199 10s 6d), £8,473; Sundry (£1,148 12s sd), £750; Hire Account (£4,988 14s 2d), £5,000; Gold Scheme (£17,722 0s 4d)— Total: (£63,064 16s lid), £44,278. EXPENDITURE. Main Highways (£10,365 2s Id), £7,180; Government Grants (£3,777 13s lid), £10,922; Main-Roads (£7,161 0s 9d), £8,665; Riding Roads (£586 3s 9d), £975; Machinery Mtce. (£1,368 2s 2d), £1,300; Machinery Petrol (£1,891 5s 6d), £1,500; Public Works (£2,493 12s 2d), £2,300; No. 5 Scheme (£5,740 3s Id), £3,000; Motor Vehicles (£1,359 7s 3d), £1,400; Interest and L. Fund (£1,013 13s 4d), £994 16s; Hospital Levy (£2,761 Ils 2d), £3,323 6s 2d, General (£3,957 17s 7d), £3,999 2s Id; Gold Scheme (£16,438 13s 2d)—Total: (£59,927 19s 3d), £45,559 4s 3d. Details of the principal items of expenditure were submitted by the Treasurer as follows (1936-37 figures being shown in parentheses): — Aerodrome (£200); Audit ( —), £5O; Advertising (£159 18s sd), £100; Lighting —Blackball (£108), £108; Lighting—South Beach (£l6), £l6; Barrytown Telephone (£l3 6s 4d) £10; Bank charges, Interest, etc., (£5ll 19s 3d), £400; Cemetery A/cs. (£2 10 9d), £5; Chairman’s Honorarium (£202 10s 0d) £100; Court Costs (£124 16s lid), £5O; Deposit A/c. (£103), £100; Elections (—), £5O; Donations <£l7 2s), £2O; Govt. Charges—Health (£lO4 8s), £lO4 8s; Hire Purchase (£460 17s 6d), £412 14s Id; Hospital Levy' (£2,761 11s 2d), £3,323 6s 2d; Heavy Traffic (£1,359 7s 3d), £1,400; Licensing (£ll 14s 7d) £10; Interest No. 1 -Loan, £BO7 17s 6d), £790 12s 6d; Interest No. 2 Loan (£lOB 6s 6d), £lOB 6s 6d; Interest No. 3 Loan (£97 9s 4d), £95 17s; Insurance (£369 6s lid), £300; Legal (£324 15s 6d), £100; Revenue Collection (£172 5s 8d), £5O; Imprest A/c. (£75), £75; Office (£294 18s Id), £250- Petty Cash (£3), £3; Salaries (£B2O Ils 6d), £850; Stationery (£72 16s 2d), £5O; Traffic (£268 Ils 7d), £270; Compensation (£258 13s Id), £200; Centenary (£8 10s), £2O; P.R. A/c. (£l2 Is), £l5; Valuation (£33 12s), £3O; Travelling (£221 5s 8d), £250; Total: (£10,106 2s 8d), £9,717 4s 3d.

COAL CREEK EROSION. The Acting Minister of Public Works expressed pleasure at the manner in which the council was prepared to carry out the protection work at Coal Creek, and requested the Council to give an indemnity against damage to land occupied by the owners, or injuriously affected by the work. . x The Engineer (Mr. J. Higgins), said that the Minister was going beyond the previous conditions laid down, as the County had been asked only to indemnify the owners of property adjoining the protection works. The Council should not have to shoulder any action for damages. Cr. Ryall moved that this be pointed out to the Minister. . The motion, seconded by Cr. Blair, was carried. The Local Bodies Loans Board wrote pointing out that, in view of the special rating area to be created, a poll of rate-payers was unnecessary, but the consent of the Govern-or-General-in-Council was required before the work could be commenced. Cr. Ryall moved and Cr. Carter seconded the necessary formal resolution seeking a loan of £750 for the work. The motion was carried. The formal resolution to raise a loan of £620 from the State Advances’ Corporation for housing, was moved by Cr. Carter, seconded by Cr. Ryall, and carried. Hon. W. Lee Martin, for the Minister of Public Works, wrote regretting that no further subsidy could be granted for the Crooked River Road.

COUNTY CEMETERIES. Cr. Mulcare said he would like to draw attention to the bad state of the Nelson Creek Cemetery, there being no one in charge and no provision made for burials. He would like to see an Advisory Committee of local residents set up to advise the Council. The ground was in a deplorable state at present. The Engineer said that Trustees could be elected by a public meeting. The Clerk pointed out that Cemetery Trustees were no longer' allow-

s’ ed. The control was vested entirely d on the local body. 1, The Engineer said that a small Advisory Committee would ' be quite i- suitable. t- Cr. Carter agreed with Cr. Mulcare, ie and said that the County :1. handle the whole question properly. He moved that the>Engineer prepare a report on all .cemeteries under the Council’s jurisdiction, and submit a to scheme for their proper control, le The motion was seconded by Cr. ig Blair and carried.