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STEP WARILY

WARNING TO COUNCIL

QUESTION OF RATING HOSPITAL RATE OF 2D. IN £ “I have framed the estimates for this year around a general rate of the same amount as the last three years. If the council wishes to add anything further to what I have included, I have appended a lengthy schedule of works which have been discussed,” stated the report of the county clerk, Mr E. A. Mahoney, to the April meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council when the estimates for 1 , 9(4i6-4 I 7 were considered. The report continued:—

“The first part shows commitments from previous years on the one side and cash balance and subsidies on the other. I have left the previous estimates of cost intact except in the case of Nelson’s, bridge. This was estimated to cost £l,'sooi and Mr Barber now estimates it at £2,900. The balance is included in the items to be rated for this year. Other revision of cost I have ignored and recommend that these be met as they arise. The council’s share will not be very large. Kopuarahi-Kerepeehi Road

“An item for sealing of KopuarahiKerepeehi road £6o'o'o' I recommend should be deleted. Already an amount in excess of £lOOO has.been expended in reconstruction from ordinary maintenance surplus and this can be continued each year and the work completed progressively. By doing this, a debit of £3;,i817i6 is converted to a credit of £2,1|2.4 to commence this year’s works. Beyond maintenance of roads and highways, I have included no new items’ except the £22'2. undertaken for Coronation street, Paeroa. It will be noticed that an item of £2,o'oo' is included for opening up a new face at Mangatarata quarry.

“The hospital levy has increased from £5,598 last year to £7,000 and as. stated before it is time something was done about it if it is not more than halved in future years. This represents a rate of almost 2d. in the £. “An item is included for a new vehicle for the Noxious Weeds Inspector, £6o'o. Mr Barber proposes to use the old l vehicle as a means of transit for the driver of the new grader. Plant and Quarry Renewals

“I have set aside £l,ooo' each for plant and quarry renewal and propose to appropriate an equivalent or greater amount each year as funds permit. These will be taken completely out of the county fundi and placed in a separate bank account and used only for those purposes. By adopting this method', the council will have at least some fund's for renewal of plant from time to time as occasion arises without waiting for the end. of a financial year, while there should be several thousand pound's accumulated against the time when a new quarry is found and. has to be equipped. “The administration, management and sundry amounts to £4,090 and interest to £l,'l®s. Costs Have Rocketed “The following shows the financial resources of the county as far as', any one year’s general rate is concerned. The general rate, allowable by law is 3d. in the £ on the capital value or its equivalent on the unimproved value:— Capital value £2,230,000' at .3d. £27,875 or unimproved value £870,000' at 7Td. £27J875: past rate of 4d. produces £14,500; each Id. produces JB&O'G; each Bd. produces £1,81’2; each Id. produces £3,02*5. '“'Costs on the expenditure side have rocketed during the past ten years as reflected in the expenditure side of the council’s estimates and balance sheet. Conversely receipts have not. The subsidy on general rate is on the same basis. ’Drivers and heavy traffic licenses have remained stationery except that they have increased in numbers. The Transport Department has filched one third, of the drivers license fees. The council can thus understand my protest against incuring further cost in delivering drivers’ licenses to the doorstep’.of people 60' per cent, of whom are not ratepayers at all. Price ot Metal a j “One thing that must be an*nded is the price of metal. Thisßias remained at 8/- per yard ex Mpp--1 per since 1936 and the council caxtnot now afford to sell at this pnee. ' After consultation with the engineer I recommend that the price,of metal be advanced to at least 10/per yard ex hopper to outside buyers. This is the council’s only chance of equalisnig things in a small degree and this propose!! price may have to be increased next year. “Unce again I ask the council to

step w-arily before embarking on anything new in work or plant. After all, there is nothing vitally urgent and nothing that cannot be postponed for at least a year, after which a clearer perspective of costs and Governmental policy may be apparent. At present we are groping in a fog of uncertainty and the engineer has stated more than once that it is impossible to accurately estimate for works. Deficit of £5,528 “Finally I would remind the council that the policy I am now recommending was put into effect on my recommendation at the beginning of the last depression without any serious effects to the council or the ratepayers except that some works which!* were desirable but not vital, were delayed. The attached estimates show a deficit of £5,52®. Were the hospital rates halved and a £1 for £1 subsidy granted on road, works as I hope will eventuate, this deficit would be more than wiped off on similar estimates for 1947-4®.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HPGAZ19460501.2.35

Bibliographic details

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 55, Issue 32707, 1 May 1946, Page 7

Word Count
899

STEP WARILY Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 55, Issue 32707, 1 May 1946, Page 7

STEP WARILY Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 55, Issue 32707, 1 May 1946, Page 7