COOK COUNTY RATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19218, 6 January 1926, Page 10

COOK COUNTY RATES.

LARGE AMOUNT OUTSTANDING IMPORTANT WORKS HAMPERED. [by telegram:.—own correspondent. ] GISBORNE, Tuesday. If the fanners of the district experienced a good season last year, the fact is not reflected in the manner in which the current year's rates are being paid to the Cook County Council, and unless the ratepayers are prepared to meet their obligations a little more readily there is a danger that many important works now being carried out by the council will have to bo seriously curtailed. • The position at present is that tho council has insufficient funds at its disposal to meet its obligations, and unless some of the outstanding rates arc paid baforo the end of the month accounts will have to remain unpaid. The rates struck by the council for the current year totalled £48,843, and of that sum very, little more than £6OOO, approximately 12£ per cent., has been paid! Tho council has an overdraft limit of £45,000 and that figure has already been reached. The Gisborne. Borough Council appears to have been more fortunate than tho Cook County. The sum of £35,000 ' has been collected out of a total of £61.000. The borough rate, however, was struck three months before the county rate, in addition to which notification was issued some time ago that summonses would be issued if the. rates were not paid at once.