FOXTON

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 111, 10 April 1934, Page 8

FOXTON

(From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, April 12. Air and Mrs J. McKnight, of Wellington, are visiting Air and Airs AlcKnight, of Duncan Street. Aliss Al. Healey, of Wellington, is visiting Air and Airs J. K. Hornblow. Air and Mrs H. Ross, of Wellington, arc spending a holiday with Air and Airs W. J. Ross, of Poplar, Foxton. A challenge game for the Haydock Pins was played during the week-end when tho holders (A. Walls and B. Hinds) sufforod defeat by the challengers (G. Walls and Hcppncrj by a substantial margin. Air J. L. Stout’s reserved judgment in connection with tho case F. R. Waller (Mr AI. B. Bcrgin) v. H. Jarvis (Mr Fitzherbert) in which plaintiff sought to recover possession of a hoi,for or £3 and damages for alleged wrongful detention, reads (inter alia) :—“I have again considered tho ovidenco given in this case and am of tho opinion that _ tho evidence of tho plaintiff and his witnesses is more worthy cf credence than that of the defendant and his witnesses. Judgment will therefore be for tho plaintiff for the return of the heifer, or £3 tho value thereof, and £2 damages for detention.” Costs amounting to £4 3s were allowed plaintiff. In an annual review of the position of the borough of Foxton presented to last night’s council meeting, tho clerk (Air Wni. Trueman) stated that, the nett indebtedness at April 1, 1933, was £53,716, against which were sinking funds amounting to £1166. At Alarch 31, 1934, tho nett indebtedness had dropped to £52,787, a dccrcaso o,f £929 in debt. Tho amount payable as interest and principal was £3851, of which £I6BB had boon paid. Owing to insufficient funds being in hand it had not been possible to pay tho State Advances Department any interest and principal instalments during the year in respect of tho water and drainage loan of £36,150. As these instalments amounted to nearly £2OOO it would bo seen that the small credit balanco in the interest account of £250 would not go far towards this. Considering, however, that the principal repayments were steadily reducing tho total debt, and that conversion loan proposals would shortly bo submitted to tho council, it was possiblo that the interest burden might bo more evenly spread out during the next, twelve years. Tho annual charges on tho public debt amounted to £3851 and as tho rates levied in the borough including tho general rate amounted to £4766, there was not very much margin left to carry on the work of the borough. Tho water supply rate levied amounted to £7lO, making a total rate of £5477, of which £4190 had been collected (including discount allowed, £129) leaving £1287 still unpaid, representing about 23i per cent. In addition to this at A(X'il 1, 1933, (he sum of £4122 in respect of the previous year’s rates was outstanding, and of this amount tho sum of £1490 had boon collected. In all, however, at Alarch 31, 1934, the comparatively large sum of £3919 was outstanding, and this amount more than represented the bank overdraft of £3593. The bank interest on this overdraft approached £4 per week, which was in itself a severe drag on the funds of the borough. Rate estimates for the coming year had been drawn up and were submitted for approval. The unimproved rateable value of the borough as a whole \va3 consistently being whittled down, and if this drift continued an increase in the rates per £ must inevitably ensue. The i Urban Farm Lands Rating Act in one lump would no doubt still further reduce tho value, but to what extent would not be known until the Assessment Court had sat. In face of this, and icalising only too well that an increase in the rates would be intolerable at the present juncture, the rate this year was proposed to bo tho same as_ last year, namely Is 7d in the £, but this would mean a considerably reduced income, assuming the unimproved value to drop to £60,000. Last year Is 7d in tho £ produced about £4400, after allowing for various properties which had reverted to the Grown and .front which, although reckoned as rateable, no rates could bo collected.

FOXTON, April 10. Following a request from the Borough Council two Public Works engineers visited Foxton during the past month and made a survey of damage done in the recent earthquake. At last night’s Borough Council meeting the report was submitted and it was of & very comprehensive and detailed nature. Owing to the extensive nature of the damage done and to the fact that it was chiefly to private buildings, the council decided to lake the report in comfhittee. A report was submitted by the council’s engineers in. connection with the damage done to the Town Hall, where the rear wall was badly fractured. It was stated that the building came through tho shake remarkably well and was quite safe. Recommendations were made to the council that the rear wall should be takfen down to roof level and the top sloped off with iron. The gas manager reported that the earthquake fractured a main at the railway station and another in Union Street. Gne hundred and seventy-one chimneys out of 210 so far inspected were found to bo fractured. The Minister of Finance acknowledged receipt of the council's request for financial assistance for those whose premises had suffered damage and said the matter would be considered. It was decided to repair the Town Hall forthwith. Each owner is to be asked what stops he intends taking to carry out the recommendations made in *he report, and any property owner requiring' financial assistance in that direction is to bo asked to submit details to the town clerk. Tho poundkeeper reported four head of stock impounded and 4s driving fees collected. Accounts amounting to £1294 12s were passed for payment. The town clerk's annual report was rend. It showed that the position of the borough was satisfactory. Estimates were perused and it was decided to approve of a rate of Is 7d in the £l, being the same as last year. Nominations did not exceed the vacancies in connection with the election of a school committee iri Foxton. Tho new committee will therefore, be as follow: Messrs J. K. Hornblow, G. F. Smith, W. R. McKenzie, I. W. Mudford, Al. E. Perreau, 11. J. Reid, R. Rangiheuea (sitting members), P. J. Mail's and S. E, Cowley. Alessrs F. Robinson and'R. Meyer did not seek re-election. Messrs J. IC. Hornblow and Al. E. Perreau have been on the committee continuously since 1909, Air Hornblow having been cnairman for the whole of the period rxcept two years.