BIRKENHEAD FINANCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15265, 1 April 1913, Page 5

BIRKENHEAD FINANCES.

A PROMISING FUTURE. The Mayor of Birkenhead (Mr. Witt.;.- Wallace) last night received from the borough treasurer the balance-sheet for the year ending March 31, 1913, The past year, Mr. Wallace said, had been a strenuous one for the council, and i several progressive schemes had been! undertaken with »' view to th» advance- ; merit of the borough, and effecting more efficient and economical methods of carrying on the works. The opening of the financial year had found the council in the middle of the installation of a water stupply, and also road reconstruction.works, Owing to' ; the wet weather at that time, portions ofcthe-■!maia:»p^ r footpaths, in course of reconstruction:, were in ; a v -de- '', jpioraWe condition and ab&oltttery impas l liable in places.' - In <OTler to cope m ikhis unfortunate state of affairs, and to minimise the discomfort Of the residents its far as possible, the council had'been put to a considerable additional iexponse' in keeping the thoroughfares open during the winter. A large amount of attention had also been devoted to, various other, roads and footpaths not included an the loan works. The water supply was .practically completed, 'and- "services; 1 were,' now being laid on to the houses hi the borough, lit was intended to have the official opening of the turning on of the water within the next fortnight. ; ; '<, > • In the .general%'a^iti!tt,'!the' ; receipts had been £2060. *ates acwuntihgdor- £1630> subsidy £187, building£43, dog : tax £32, license fees £25, arid sanitary. charges. £24. 'The eipendi.t'&ra^; last year's debit balance of- .£263,, had been, £3428, so that the debit balance had in--creased to £1369. v Street iworkis had absorbed £1845, administration £'J6B, street lighting £111, purchase carting plant £239, i quarry site and ' ptent3;£2t3, load roller■! and implements £40,>: ißahitary: plant £80, ! said, office furniture £50.' ; Most of the i plant acquired was necessary for the proper carrying out of thei ,road loan works, I while the outlay for the ssiniiai-y service,! which lxad only recently been started, j would bo recouped in the near future. Then,: I again, a large amount of the. plant oh::! hand was a valuable asset, and ;couldbe I laalised for a substantial suibi if the council , sit any time found any portion of it could | be done without, of which there was no immediate prospect, White the debit balance appeared large, still when fit is taken into account that the plant purchased represented assets valued at over £600, the actual debit was in reality reduced by that amount. A considerable amount of the; cartage on loan works was; paid out of general account, which helped to : swell the debit. This would probably be* refunded during the ensuing 'fear. The hospital and charitable aid account was in credit £75, the receipts having been £265, and the contributions paid £190; The council held contractors* deposits • totalling £223. ' , ■■ .:',.; The road loan of £400 (beiing 10 per cent, on the £4000 loan) bad been expended, with the exception of £2. Of the water supply and road construction loan of £24,880, there remained £12 in hand after paying: charges and first fear's interest* (nearly £1000). Of this loan, £21,230 wa;s allocated! to water supply, of which over £20,000 had been expended; £2600 was allocated towards the Main Road arid Roberts Road, on which £3040 had been expended; £1050 was/allocated towards Bukdale Road, Pine Avenuey Baden Powell Road, and Victoria Road, and £848 had been expended. The first loan of £1664. lis 9d, taken I over from the old Road Board in 1887, tipon the formation of the borough, had now been extinguished, the final payment on account of interest and sinking: fundof £74 18s 2d having been made during the year.. • .. , ' . ■■ . * The various loan interest accounts were in credit to the extent of £310: : Mr. Wallace expressed"the greatest con- * fidence in the futoeof the boiough,and anticipated a large increase hi population: with the.advent of tho water;s-upply, together with a steady future progressive policy on the part of the council.