BOROUGH FINANCES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 May 1939, Page 8

BOROUGH FINANCES.

YEAR CONCLUDES SATISFACTORILY

MANY STREET IMPROVEMENTS

Further permanent improvements to the streets in the way of new footpaths I and kerbing and channelling work comprised one of the main activities of the Levin Borough Council during the year' ended March 31st last. Though a great deal of work has been done, a satisfactory financial position is shown in the annual report of the town clerk (Mr. H. L. Jenkins).

A summary of the various accounts indicates that the year's operations have resulted as follows: —General account, debit of £739 5s 9d; library account, debit of £7O Is 9d; water supply account, debit of £133 lis 3d; sanitation account, credit of £(5 Is; abattoir account, credit of £995 2s Id; gas supply account, debit of £950 Ss lid; and hospital account, credit of £49 3s sd. The report read (inter alia) as under, shillings and pence being deleted except in the totals:— General Account The estimated debit balance was £733 12s lOd, whereas the actual debit i was £739 5s 9d. Receipts totalled £10,753 3s 9d, against the estimate of £10,192 13s 9d, whilst payments, estimated at £10,433 16s, actually reached' £10,999 18s lid. ]

The chief items of expenditure were: Interest £2827, streets and footpaths £2612, administration £1379, sinking fund £BOB, purchase truck £4(51, street lighting £355, Fire Board levy £254, National Provident fund £247, gardens smd reserves £207 and insurances £2OO. The principal sources of revenue were: Rents £3344, licenses and fees £675, sales of material £463, salary transfers £450 and Government subsidy on rates £282. Library Account In this account the receipts were more than the estimate by 17s 5d (excluding a transfer of £25 from the general account). Rates showed an increase of £6 14s 9d, receipts from fines and extra books an increase of £4 18s 7d, and subscriptions showed a decrease or' £ll lis 6d. The payments at £465 5s lOd were more than the estimate by £95 19s 2d. The principal increase was in the purchase of books, which is more or less unavoidable if the institution to hold its own against the everincreasing opposition. The account finished the year with a debit balance of £7O Is 9d. Water Supply Account Receipts exceeded the estimate by £S Is Id and payments by £5Ol 12s 4d. The main increase in payments was due to the following: Services and extensions £220, maintenance £144, renewal of mains £B6, river protective work £25, interest and sinking fund £1493 and- renewal fund payment £IOO. The year concluded with a debit of £133 lis 3d. Sanitation Account

This account for the year showed, a credit of £6 Is, as against the estimate of £BS lis 2d. This department had a most unfortunate run, due to frequent changes of employees. This necessarily resulted in a serious depletion of the funds. Abattoir Account Receipts more than estimate by £740 lis 4d. Payments more than estimate by £366 12s 9d. The actual credit balance at March 31st was £995 2s Id, as against an estimated credit of £B2l 3s 6d. The variation is caused solely by increased killings, an item very difficult to estimate. Increased receipts from additional killings naturally necessitate larger payments on account of the slaughtering contract. Gas Supply Account

The account finished the year with a debit balance of £950 8s lid, an increase of £632 13s lid on the estimated debit of £317 15s. The year has befcu another good one for the sale of cooking and heating appliances, and a good portion of the £632 will be found in accounts owing by sundry debtors.

A sum of £lOl over the estimate was expended on renewals and replacements, and the expenditure on new plant and extensions exceeded the estimate by £-96. On the receipts side returns from the sale of gas have fallen short by £l7, while the estimated receipts have been exceeded as follows: Residuals £179, stoves £263, fittings and .services £ll3 and sundries £29. Other Accounts And Punds

Hospital Levy Account. —The receipts fro.ii the hospital rate during tha year were £1093 7s 2d (current) and £25 14s 2d (arrears). It finished tin year with a credit balance of £49 3s r.d, as against an estimated debit of £9. Fire Insurance Fund. —This fund during the year received £l3O 'ls 5d in premiums and £25 2s 7d in Post Office •' Savings Bank interest. There have been no claims during the year and at March' 31st the fund stood at £859 9s 7d. | Accident arid Public Risk Insurance' Fund. —This fund during the year re-i, ceivod £ls 4s 6d in premiums andj £8 2s 5d in P. 0.5.8. interest. There! were no claims during the year and atj March 31st the fund stood at £2BOI, 18s Gd. \ Machinery Replacement Fund.—This fund is a new one established during the year for the replacement of road, machinery. The initial payment of £25, was paid during the year and, with interest earned amounting to 8s 9d, the i fund stood at £25 8s 9d at March 31st. j P'nyford Park Camp Account.—Re-! ccqits in this account have amounted \ to £56 10s, and the account finished the year with a credit of £2l 16s 24. Queen Carnival Account.—During the ; year the sum. of £3OO was expended

from this account, £l5O tOAvards the purchase of a motor lawn-mower, and £iso towards the purchase of children's piayground equipment. The balance ir. hand is £450. 'Employment Promotion.—During the |year a sum of £4415 lis 5d has been expended in wages under Scheme No. 13 i on various projects in the town. Although the labour under this scheme 1 was free, the council had to expend a large sum on materials, carting, insurfiice premiums and other incidentals.