BOROUGH RATES UP BY OVER £7000

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6616, 22 May 1928, Page 6

BOROUGH RATES UP BY OVER £7OOO

Hospital Levy and Water Main Causes of Increase "WORKS URGENT AND ESSENTIAL That Palmerston North ratepayers have to find an additional £7154 by way of rates this year, was announced by the Mayor (Mr. A. J. Graham) at last night’s meetof the Borough Council. The position was regretted hut inevitable. The increase, is made up as follows:—* £ Additional hospital levy ..... 1179 Extending 4-inch water main .. 2000 Loss usual amount transferred from water account 2000 Milverton Park 300 Tarring College Street 625 Eeconstruction of Ferguson St. West 400 Tarring Ferguson Street West 600 Total —£7154 which represents 2-3 d in the f. The Bates. The separate rates will be:—General rate 25-6 d, water rate 34 per cent., library rate l-9d, hospital rate 4-7 u, special rate 3 17-250 J. Tho special rate is lower this year to the extent of £3500. Tho Mayor (Mr. A. J. Graham) in explaining tho position, statca that the works included above were urgent and esential in tho best interests of the ratepayers and could only bo undertaken out of revenue. It was unfortunate that an increase in tho total rate was necessary in view of the economic position. However ,the borough was a progressive one and could not be allowed to stagnate. The latter condition would only result in serious losses and the expenditure of enormous sums at some future date to put things right again. The council had affirmed tile principle of not transferring moneys from other accounts to relieve the general rate. That practice in tho

past had undoubtedly kept the rates .down, but it was a wrong policy to follow. Departmental profits should be utilised for renewals, extensions, etc. This year the general account was not getting anything from tho water account but the electrical account would be paying £3600 for losses on the gasworks.

Cr. W. Milverton advocated retrenchment and criticised some of the expenditure in the past as wasteful. He wanted to see a general cut in salaries. The Mayor: Tho increase in salaries is comparatively small and some are in terms of our'agreements.

Cr. Milverton: I can’t see why there should be disparity between the wages earned by brains and brawn. Continuing, ho said he considered tho council was paying some of its employees more than they were worth. The Estimates. Tho council decided to increase the water rate to provide ' 'OOO for tho extension of the 4-inch mains in those streets where improved water supply was urgently needed. The estimate of receipts in the general account were £35,147 of which fees, licenses, etc., will contribute £3OOO, permits to build £BOO, rents, etc. £IBSO, petrol tax refunds £SOO and sewer connections £IOOO. The rate of 25-6 d. in tho £ will produce £26,112. The chief items of expenditure are street maintcnace £10,710, tarring and sanding footways £1250, street lamps £2BOO, sewer maintenance £IOOO, Square gardens, etc £BOO, Fire Board levy £2014, local elections £4OO. Tho subsidies agreed upon were:— Municipal Band £ for £ up to £250, Salvation Army Band £25, Highland Pipe Band £lO. District Nurso £3O, Plunkct Society £lO, All Saints’ Home £lO, Willard Horae £lO, Radio Club £SO, Workers Educational Classes £3Q» Horticultural Society £lO, Dairy Assl elation £3O.