WOODVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6902, 7 May 1929, Page 3

WOODVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL

Chairman's Annual Report

The chairman’s annual report rend as follows:—-

Receipts and Expenditure:— Tlie total receipts from all sources amounted to £17,(571/18/0 and the total expenditure; £13.100/2/10. Outstanding rates and rents at March 31, 1029 amounted to £l3/0/0 as against £9l 17/3 on March 31, 1928. The land fund credit was £lB3/13/1, revenue amounting to £B3/14/2 having been received during the year, while ordinary expenditure and transfers amounted to £47/4/2. Riding accounts were ns follows: — 192 S 1929 Cr. Cr. Woodville £ll7l IS 2 £1362 2 0 Manga-atua £I3OB 10 0 £lß2l 17 4 Dr. Dr.

Kumeroa £543 7 7 £546 13 11 Maharaham £271 4 6 £145 18 2

On March, 31, 1928, the ridings account showed a total credit of £IOO3/2/7, and on March, 31, 1929, they showed a total credit of £2511/7/3; they have therefore improved their position during the year by £S4B/4/8. This .was largely due to the stringent economy aud care which councillors had bestowed on their ridings. The action of the electors in sanctioning the machinery loan had, however, had a far-rcaching effect. It was only the advent of modern machinery which had enabled the Council to provide the, greatly increased quantity of metal necessary to keep up a high standard of maintenance without ixtra cost to the ratepayers.

The county teams alone carted 9101 yards of metal in 1929, as aginst 4835 yards in 1920, and this despite the fact that the latest type of modern power grader was diligently conserving every yard delivered. Every riding in the county had improved its financial position sinco 1920.

The total maintenance of teams amounted to £1260/1/-, wages befog £O4B/9/-, shoeing and repairs £132/S/9, oats £222/15/3, chaff £242/4/- and grazing medicine, etc., £2O/4/-, 3/2 per clay per horse. 9101 yards or metal were carted on days, other carting accounting for 207 days. Metal including pitman's wages, cost 3/5 per ya.d. The cost of keep per horse per day rose from 3/- in 1927-1928 to 3/2 this year, being accounted for by the difference in the price of fodder. It should be remembered, however, that the price of metal was deceptive as a large amount was dumped and the balance used in close carting. Machinery

On June 30, 1920, Rie ratepayers sanctioned a loan of £OOOO, and in 1920 the council borrowed £I7OO from the Public Trust. £1094/15/- was spent in buying a truck, £460 in purchaseing a tru'etor, £73/12/0 in erecting machinery sheds, and there was a balance cjf £7l/12/10 in the machinery loan account. Beforo buying, the council had very carefully considered tho various methods and had decided upon a certain policy. Whether that policy was successful, the rate-payers could judge for themselves. The tractor and the truck, which were purchased with loan money, started work in September and November 1920. By September 1928, the council had also purchased a fircheatcr costing £352/11/6, a tar-pot. costing £75 and a one-man grader costing £260. Therefore, without borrowing and without taking one shilling from the revenue fund, the council had in two years, bought £1142/11/6 worth of extra machinery and paid cash for it. Summed up, the position was that, after borrowing £I7OO in 1926, the council owned £2542 worth of machinery in 1928. It would have been impossible to keep the roads up to their present standard without tho modern machinery, and its effect showed as clearly in the finance as it did on the roads. Bridges

A large amount of repair work had been done, and tremendous floods on tho Raparapawai and Manga-atua streams last winter, nearly caused the loss of several bridges. The advent of the motor lorries enabled the necessary protective aud repair work to be done with the minimum loss of lime. A number of wooden culverts had been replaced by concrete, and repair work had been done to wooden culverts where necessary. Highways

During the past year, 210 chains on No. 5 sector (Maharahara) had received a second coat of bitumen at a cost of £920/12/3; Widening had been done on No. 4 sector (Fapatawa) at a cost of £l3B/15/2. During the year, ordinary maintenance cost £2784/19/6, this amount including secondary highways. Estimates 1929-30

Estimated highway sealing and widening:

General Rate As tho new valuation should take effect this year the rate would necessatilv be adjusted.

“1 consider that, a rate struck to bring in the present income should suffice the council's need for the ensuing year,” stated the chairman, “If this were done, ratepayers would only pay the same amount as last year, except those whoso valuations have been altered out of the general average, and that is a matter over which the council has no jurisdiction. lam unable to recommend a rate until definite information is recicved from the Hospital Board regarding the new levy.” Work In Review "The present council took office in 1923, being re-elected in 1926, and a short review of the intervening period may be of interest. In 1923 the council had a credit balance of £3OS, in 1926 it had a credit of £1522 and in 1929 it had a credit of £4264. In 1923 tho rate struck was 9-10, in 1920 S-10 and in 1928 7-8. The passing of the Finance Act 1921 deprived the council of £7OO per annum, and counties were compelled to strike a 'hospital rate. Tffic rate struck merely covefrs the hospitlial levy, and the council loses money over it as the hospital collect its levy in advance. In 1923 the ridings had a credit balance of £524/1/6. in 1926 thev had a credit balance of £17776/7/3 and in 1929 they have a credit balance of £2511/7/3. The passin"- of the Antecedent Liability Act, .coupled with the fact that this county (unlike most counties) has not struck a highway rate, makes the possession of a substantial credit balance imperative and extraordinary economy and efficiency have been necessary to obtain such a balance without penalising thch ratepcaycrs The advent of the Highway Act, the petrol tax. the heavy traffic licenses, and the strenuous efforts the government found it necessary to make to assist counties, give sonic idea of thtc enormous increase in traffic and cost of maintenance. For instance, in 1923 the county teams did the grading and maintenance assisted by one Ford lorry. In 1929, three teams, three motor lorries, and a power grader can scarcely cope with the same work, despite the fact that the mdjor portion of our main highways have since been tar sealed. Taking into account thtc duficulties surmounted it appears to mo that the council's work, both for the year and for the term of office, may be deemed satisfactory.”

Keccipts: £ s d Bank of New Zealand 2000 0 0 Highway maintenance 3336 6 8 Outstanding rates & rents . 43 6 6 Subsidy estimated .. .. 1250 0 0 Bents estimated .. .. 300 0 0 Licenses 520 0 0 Bate tentatively rceommen odd 7-8d 5373 14 0

Total 1 2,820 7 * Expenditure: £ R d Main Highway maiutena nee 5000 0 0 Ngawapurua bridge SO 0 0 Salaries, travelling etc. .. 1000 0 0 Telephones, stamps, etc. .. 275 0 0 Hog tax, audit .. 500 [I 0 Insurance, legal etc. 350 0 0 Transfer to Inf. a/c. 1300 7 Woodvillc riding 1300 0 0 M'anga-atua riding 800 0 0 Kumeroa riding .. 800 0 0 Maharahara riding 1385 0 0 Total 1 2,820 7 2

£ Xu. 4 (Papntawa) 185 chains s d 1st coat .1091 18 tl 2nd coat 1097 17 0 Widening: N'.>. 1 sector .. 100 (.1 0 Contingencies 130 0 0 £3039 10 3