NEARING THE LIMIT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 263, 5 October 1936, Page 7

NEARING THE LIMIT.

FINANCIAL PROBLEM.

MANAWATU DRAINAGE BOARD

Members of the Manawatu Drainage Board, at their monthly meeting today, were faced with the position of their estimated expenditure being reached possibly before the end of the financial year, and it was pointed out that the board’s budget had to be balanced. Several expediencies were discussed, and it was decided to hold the subject over for a month before a decision is arrived at. In reporting on the general financial position, the clerk (Mr N. I. Nielsen) said the labour employed was costing £2l a week and there were yet 25 weeks to go to the end of the financial year. On the present rate of expenditure the estimate would soon be reached On the present indications the board had £l5O available for labour. The chairman (Mr P. G. Mildon) said that, personally, he wished to keep the ten or twelve men now employed working all the time. The cost of Moore s floodgato had been a big hurdle and run to about £soo—very much more than the estimate. . The clerk remarked that the board had to balance its budget or else strike a supplementary rate. • Mr R. Tanner said he wondered it tlie tractor plant could be left idle for a period in order to save money. The chairman considered that it would be preferable to keep the plant going. ... i To work within the estimates only four men could be kept on, under those circumstances, said the clerk. Replying to Mr Tanner, the clerk said that if the budget were not balanced the board members would bo responsible for the outstanding amount. The overdraft at tlio end of the nnancial year could not exceed the outstanding revenue. . The chairman suggested that the Local Government Loans Board be written to asking if the Drainage Board could raise a small loan to assist in meeting the cost of the floodgate. It appeared that some men would have to go off, but he disliked that very much. If at all possible, thev should be kept on till Christmas at 'least. The work they were doing would only accumulate and would have to be done later. In addition, the men were good workers and would he _ difficult to replace, said Mr J. Collis It was decided to hold over further discussion, until the next meeting.