HAWERA COUNTY MATTERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 December 1924, Page 3

HAWERA COUNTY MATTERS.

FINANCE AND RATES. REVIEWED BY CHAIRMAN. At the conclusion of the meeting on Sat ri rday the clfa irm an b rie fi y re vie we d (he position generally from a financial aspect. A statement by the county clerk (Mr. Harding) showed that after paying accounts totalling £2374 the overdraft was £II,BOB, and as there were rates due to the amount of £15,965, the council had a. balance available of £4157 up to the end of March. The total rates .struck for the year were £21,900, and of this amount there had come in £6560, a. wonderful tribute, •added Mr. Harding, to the pulling power of advertising. He’ estimated the expenditure for the ensuing three months' at £6OOO, in addition to- instalment for antecedent liability of £2500 and hospital levy_ of £986, a total of £9486. Against that there were some refunds, and therefore there would be & shortage of something over £4OOO. The total hospital levy for maintenance arid construction of new hospital was £4213.. In regard to antecedent liability, he said that a: rate of £d in the £ would just about meet that liability annually. It is of interest, said Mr. Harding, to note that the receipts of rates were £4543, as 'compared with, £743 last year, and the total revenue for the same month £4756, as compared with £940 for’ the month of November, 1923. No less than 315 receipts had been made out by the clerical staff during last month. ' The chairman (Mr. J. B. Murdoch) sajh he had fio-t yet had time since''Ms return from Australia'to, go thoroughly into the position and see the finance necessary for' the council’s yequifements.' It appeared, however, to him that the council would find it advisable, "aiid necessary 'to strike a special rafcs for ilie hospital 'levy. When they were considering rates it had appeared that the capital levy would hot "be inquired this year, hut it was' found iieces'sary. The works going on would be covered by loans'. Year by year the position would he improved, as they were paying off their antecedent liability,'which'would mean a sum of £2500 annually:.. .He had made inquiry about finance and found they could get moiiey at 6 per cent., and perhaps at 5,L He believed they could easily raise money on debentures locfilly for a period of, say’, severi ve’ars, and it would not cost a great deal. Local lenders did not seerii to approve of a longer terih. A. direct rate would clean up the liability in four years as Eltham had done from the start. He favoured striking a rate for the hospital levy. However he would go thoroughly into the position" in time, fop tlie next meeting in January.