THE H.B. TRIBUNE. MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1912. COUNTY FINANCES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 102, 15 April 1912, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1912. COUNTY FINANCES.

The report upon the past year’s operations presented to the Hawke’s Bay County Council by the chairman to-day shows that the local bodv is in a splendid financial position. The report is one we can heartily congratulate the chairman upon and we trust he will continue to guide the council in the path of economy and sound business. A glance at the figures will show that in the past it was the custom to end the year with a debit balance and in 1907 the amount stood at £10,505. In 1912 that debit wbj turned into a credit of £832. There can be no gainsaying lb- fact that the Hawke's Ba> County is a very wealthy one, the valuation being set down at £6,000.000, that the splendid financial position to-day could not have been achieved without capable management. As further reason for gratification we might also point to the fact that the credit balance has been built up out of an exceptionally low rate, onh two or three counties in the Dominion having a lower rate. For the wealth of the county the lean liability is also low. being £38.009 at present, falling to £24,000 in 1911. Referring to this gradual extinction of the public debt the report says : "While many local bodies’ public debts are, increasing in a disquieting manner, this council’s debt is ebbing out. To live within one’s means and l-c-cp out of debt may be conridered > iu-ias! l.v some, but it has ueen the. council s policy from the beginning and I lii'sl it will continue.'’ These sentiments can be heartily endorsed, for both to the north and south of us wc can see local bodies piling up heavy indebtedness. The local governing authorities appear to have caught the spirit of the central Government and borrowed with a freedom which if it is possible for a local body to keep within the limit of its revenue the policy will undoubtedly pay in the end. In some cases it is, of ermrsc. not- possible to do expensive

weeks out of revenue. Road formation n:id metalling frequently make heavy demands upon the resources and we can. sec plenty of instances where roads made by loan money have worn out and have beer, re-metalled by loan before the original beh’li!has l>: on wiped off. In surii cares the rate con!ribution bcc< mes ;> b< -T>y burden for the ratenaym's ami they look with envy to the county which pulls in an easy collar. Turning to another part of the report we see that the chairman proposes to try and bring about the ro-ifis!atement of old bridges upon the same sound lines. He has point-

ed out that by the exerci-e of a little ec<,noniy for a fev veins and keeping all demands down to the lowest limit possible, sufficient money should be saved to replace many of the bridges. To adopt a systematic I I i fi pla< ing bridges i> a policy to bi hi hh << mine i<h d The sugg< tion ha bci fivniably disussed bv th oi i 11 I foie now inti we h) i t j te thf question I c'l (I in a thoioigh Dinner. To let tins matter go without attention i c nlv It eoiiit tioublf M ith a subtil al bmgf c uve find requiren.cats ca... l.t met vv.t...>ut incurring further debt and provision can also be made for building in permanent m i< al T 1 < ch inn an estimates that the total cost of replacing ah i dgc < ei or ) tcct i i 1 igth in peril tn< n m itet il would l< £lOO,OOO, lit of c >ui sc this w mid be spread c <i m ipv mis Numbers of the budges are m excellent condition while others nave been substantially it _,thentd bu the tiqic must arrive when these bridges will become uni t fii ti iflic and nt \ structures will be necessary. It is a big question, but it must be faced.