BOROUGH FINANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20304, 11 July 1929, Page 15

BOROUGH FINANCE.

ESTIMATES AT HAMILTON. EXPENDITURE OF £36,569. ALTERATIONS IN RATES. [nv TJXEC.RAm. —OWN COSiHESI'ONnENT.] HAMILTON, Wednesday. The estimates of receipts atid cxpemlij lure for the year 1929-30 were submitted to the Hamilton Borough Council this evening by" the town clerk. Mr. \Y. L. Warlflel. The apodal rales to be raised total .€35,960. compared with £36.370 last year. The special rates in three of the (our districts. Hamilton, Claudclands and Frankton, have been decreased, while in the fourth district. Macron. "there lias been an increase totalling £3OO, owing to the fact (hut the council could pay no further portion of the interest and sinking fund charges on that district's water and drainage loan from the loan account. Additional special rates bad had to lie found in the borough for relief work purposes. In regard 1o the general rate, which last, year was 1 35-16rl in the £, the reduction in the valuation of £4I,SCO on which this rate was struck, meant, a loss of £325 in revenue and reduced the total sum produced from £20,441 to £20,117. The council proposes to make the general rate 1 63-64 d in the £ over the whole borough, which would provide £20,592, or approximately £l5O more than the estimated general rate last year. Allowing for (he reduction of £4lO in the special rates the total rates to be collected this year will be C 260 le.-s than last year. This year's general receipts were estimated at £37,094 16s 5d and the estimated expenditure on general purposes, £36,569 Is. The total rate last year was reduced by i-Bth of a penny in the pound and the water rate by one-half per cent. The water account received the benefit of a refund of £IOOO spent in connection with ! the Arapuni trouble, while general expenditure was somewhat lc.--s than in (lie previous year in view of the benefit expected from the expenditure of the £40.600 water loan. In the schedule of works prepared by the engineer, Mr. P.. Worlcy, the council proposes to spend £15.746 this year on tiie waterworks, including pumping, purifying and reticulation equipment, and £9750 on streets maintenance. The estimates were approved without alteration. HIGHER RATES AT THAMES. DECISION OF THE COUNCIL. I.BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COUIiESPOMIKNT.] THAMES, Wednesday. The Thames Borough Council held a special meeting to consider the borough finances for the current year. The town clerk, Mr. A. Chapman, reported thai £9OOO was outstanding in unpaid rates. Of this amount £6OOO was due at March 31 last. Jn the discussion that followed the point was raised whether the council was justified in employing an engineer at the salary of £520 per annum, in view of the f.-K't that the quarry and sewerage works for which he was chiefly engaged four years ago were now completed. Jt was explained that it was compulsory for borough councils to employ "certificated engineers" only and that at Paeroa, where, the borough engineering was personally undertaken by, the Mayor, Mr. \V. Marshall, the work was further supervised by the Public Works Department.

In allocating the year's expenditure the council decided to meet tho cost by an increase Af one penny over last year's rates. The total rate, which is levied on the unimproved value, for the current year, therefore, amoiniis to Is 7d in the pound. A sanitary fee of £2 was also .m posed. Tn addition a harbour improvement rr.te of one penny in the pound on the capital value is required to l»e paid by September next.