RATES AND LOANS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 120, 22 April 1931, Page 6

RATES AND LOANS.

PALMERSTON NORTH CITY.

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT

“Statements have been made almost in terms of reproach that rates in Palmerston North are lower than, in other towns. I have drawn up a schedule showing a comparison with seven other towns of the nearest in size to Palmerston North, i.e., Wanganui, New Plymouth, Napier, Hamilton, Masterton, Timaru and Invercargill,'’ stated Mr M. A. Eliott wlren addressing the municipal electors last evening. “From this it is seen that, in the rate per £IOOO of capital value, Palmerston North is second lowest with £12.22, Hamilton with £11.66 being the lowest and Invercargill with £i6.30 the highest. On the rate par head of population basis, Masterton with £3 10s 9d is the lowest, Palmerston North with £4 Is lid is sixth on the list and Hamilton with £4 9s 7d the highest. The average for the whole of New Zealand is £4 6s lid. We are os below the average. “This would tend to show that the capital value in Palmerston North is high in comparison with other towns and this, of course, means an apparent lower rate, but with a high valuation the ultimate result means that more money is extracted from the ratepayers. The rate per head of population shows that Palmerston North pays a comparatively high rate, only two towns out of the seven, i.e., Wanganui and Hamilton, being higher. Our total liabilities with £B< 4,560 were third on the list, total assets £1,079,053 also third. Loan expenditure on streets, footpaths, etc., £108,214, was fifth; drainage, sewerage and water, £238.692. fourth; reserves, £13,300. second; municipal buildings, £40,290, first; trams or buses, £19,500, fifth (Hamilton and Masterton have not si>ent anything under this heading), electricity, supply, £185.000 second; gas supply, £165.000, first; workers’ dwellings, £IO,OOO, housing employees, £35,000, first (the nearest amount in any other town being a mere £2600 in AVanga? nui), abattoirs, £17,500, first; relief of unemployed, £BOOO, third (three towns, New Plymouth, Masterton and Timaru not having spent anything under this heading); antecedent liability, £32,000, fifth. “So that Palmerston North led the way with expenditure on municipal buildings, gas supply, workers’ dwellings and abattoirs and was second in. expenditure on reserves and electricity supply and third with relief of unemployement. It is a matter for congratulation that we are near the bottom of the list (fifth) with expenditure on buses, as the more we had spent under this heading the more we would have lost.

'With regard to interest payments, 1 almerston North was second on the list with £52,805. On length of bitumen roads, Palmerston North was second with 26* miles out of 671 miles. New Plymouth first with 32 out of 88 miles and Invercargill last with eight out of 72 miles.”