WAIHI BOROUGH FINANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16097, 10 December 1915, Page 5

WAIHI BOROUGH FINANCE.

-«- FALLING OFF IN REVENUE. DEPUTATION TO MB. HERPJES. ~ rBT TELEGRAPH.OWN COBB.KSPOSDEKT.J j Waihi, Thursday. The Minister for Railways, the Hon. W. H. Hemes, passed through 'Waihi this morning on the "way to Tauranga. A deputation from the Boron Council i waited on the Minister, the Mayor, Mr. » D. Donaldson, pointing out that the • revenue of the horough from gold duty ' had been reduced by more than half | owing to the falling off in the gold output . since the passing of the Bill allocating the contributions to be made annually i by the parties interested towards remov- * ing silt from the Ohinemuri and Waihou s Rivers. The council therefore asked that r legislation be introduced to permit of the r periodical readjustment of the allocations 9 to meet the changed circumstances, as the strain on the borough's finances was such ■ that difficulty was experienced in meeting ordinary maintenance of the various 9 municipal services and retaining the existing staff of employees. It was also 5 contended that the retention by the Treasury Department of 25 per cent, of the gold duty for river improvement pur--9 poses was excessive, and that the De--9 partment was acting unfairly in insisting " on the council paying its proportion of 3 interest on the original loan of £100,000, in view of the fact that £60.000 of the 5 amount had been reinvested by the De- ' partment, and was bearing interest. 1 Mr. Herries said if the position was as stated it appeared that the borough had grounds for complaint He undertook to look into the matters referred to. L ■ ■