EXTRA EXPENDITURE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 149, 26 May 1939, Page 3

EXTRA EXPENDITURE

POHANGINA COUNTY.. REVIEW OF FINANCES. In presenting a review of the year’s ' activities to the annual meet- ■ ing of the Pohangina County ; Council, on Wednesday, the chairI man (Cr. S. J. Strahan) said that the general balance of tho council [ at the close of the financial year on [ March til last was £4781 15s, as [ against £4o*4 13s Sd for the previous i year, and the credit balance in the i general account was £2799 11s 2d as ; against the previous year’s balance of - £3408 13s sd, a reduction of £609 2s ’ ad -. [ “In comparing these figures sight must not ho lost of the tact that we [ had to meet exceptional expenditure , on tho Itaumai deviation of £OIO, and ! Rood damage of £535 12s Id, which is , the amount actually expended by the i council, after deducting the Government subsidy of £i for £l,” said Cr. Strahan. “Uf course, wc had also to meet the second instalment of £398 13s 4d in respect of the Church Hill deviation. Tho position, 1 think, is very satisfactory. The hospital levy, it is pleasing to note, lias not gone up ths year, but shows a slight reduction of about £BB. This, however, will not affect the rate. “Apart from expenditure in connection with subsidised road-works, deviations, new bridges and several large concrete culverts that were built, the cost of other work as a result of heavy floods has been a considerable drain on our finance during the past year. Most of our outside employees’ time was taken up opening out silted-up creeks and drains and repairing roads ) that were damaged by wash-outs. Consequently, works such as improvements to hack roads and more extensive repairs to bridges were held up, and this work we will look forward to undertaking in the near future. “During several months ot the year we had several men working under scheme No. 13, the whole of whose wages, amounting to £lOl2 4s Id, was subsidised from the Employment, Promotion Fund. The assistance ol these men was necessary on account of the amount of work occasioned hv flood damage, and as there was no accommodation the council had to erect a wliare in the l’ohangina township at a cost of £209 18s lid.” Cr. Stralinn expressed appreciation of the co-operation of the councillors and said lova.l service had been given by the staff, both inside and outside. Ho moved the adoption of the report. Cr. TV. Howell sai 1 the financial outcome of the year had been good, considering the extra expense which had to be undertaken. The depletion of the county funds had provided assets. It was desirable that the council should consider undertaking tarsealing in the lower end of the county. The maintenance on gravel roads was costly, and it- was probable that the interest and sinking fund on a loan, to finance sealing of roads at both ends of the county would be cheaper. The speaker seconded the motion for the adoption of the report. Cr. TV. McKay consideerd that to pay for the sealing with a loan would he' eouifable, for (lie benefit of the sealed roads would be felt by posterity, and it was only right that posterity should pay as well as the present generation. Jt, would probably be found, however, tlia.t the sealing would he cheaper at the lower end of the county because the roads would not require as much attention-in formation as thev would at the top end. The motion was adopted. Cr. Strahan was re-elected chairman. as reported yesterday, thus entering 1 on his 12th year in the position.