ONEHUNGA'S FINANCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18381, 23 April 1923, Page 9

ONEHUNGA'S FINANCES.

REVIEW BY THE MAYOR.

CREDIT BALANCE OVER £3000.

REPLY TO CRITICISMS.

The Mayor of ; Onehunga, Mr. J. Park, delivered a valedictory address to the ratepayers •on Saturday evening in the Foresters' Theatre. Mr. E. V. Sutherland presided^"

Mr. Park said 'when he took office in 1919 the debit balance was £2633. Now he was leaving office with a credit balance of £1232 and slightly over £2000 still to come in-.- Dealing with the expenditure on. streets, he said that Mount Smart Road had cost £2600, and the sum of £6259 had been spent on 14 ether streets. To cover Princes Street East with bitumen would cost £1300, and Church Street East £6000. It would be impossible to do these streets out of revenue. Sooner or later the council would have to borrow £100,000 to put, all the streets in a permanent state of repair. "While this is a formidable amount, he (the Mayor) was satisfied that the added value to property would repay the outlay. Moneys now spent on streets could 'be used to reduce interest on charges, and consequently the whole special rate of threepence in the pound need not be collected. If the duplication of the tramlines were not in sight it would be necessary to re-lay the portion now in macadam in bitumen, but as the duplication was assured the cost of doing this, £3000, will be saved.

With regard to the maintenance of Mangere Bridge. Mr. Park said he would advise the incoming council to find £500 as its share of the cost of repairing the bridge during the coming years. The crushing plant used at the "quarry had cost £2509. The profits derived from other works for the years were as follow —Waterworks, £971; Waikaraka Cemetery, £1545 Hillsborough Cemetery, £235; general reserves, £50. There was a debit balance on the recreation reserve and rifle range of £20. The sum of £800 had been spent on Jellicoe Park at the end of "December last. Of this amount £121 had been provided by the ratepayers and the balance from the revenue derived from Jellicoe Park and the Mt. Smart reserve.

With regard to . drainage of Beresf Park and at Te Papapa, Mr. Park said that he estimated the cost of draining Beresford Park at £15,000, for which a rate of 6d in the £ would be necessary. The estimates of the cost of drainage at Te Papapa are £17,000, with a special rate of s£d in the £. . The new fire-alarm system, including quarters for men, had cost £1200. The number of building permits issued for the two years ended March 31 last were: Dwellings. 153; other buildings, 85; alterations and additions, 103: of the .total value of £139,495. Mr. Park aeptied to the criticism of the Citizens' Committee regarding the proposed loan of £9000 for the purchase and equipment of Walter's estate as a . sports ground. He said that if only £5500 were asked for it would have entailed a loss. The council felt . that it would rather spend an extra one-eighth of a penny in the pound for a special rate and have the benefit of an up-to-date sports ground. Mr. Park, after answering a ■number of questions, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his speech, coupled with an expression of appreciation of his services to the borough during his four years of office. ' * . ; .;