MOUNT ALBERT BOROUGH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20840, 6 April 1931, Page 12

MOUNT ALBERT BOROUGH.

Sir, —Tlie Mayor of Mount Albert, nt a meeting on Tuesday, stated that tlie cost of administration of tlics borough was 4s 6d a head. A reference to tlie Local .Authorities' Handbook shows that this amount refers only to tlio salaries of the town clerk, the 'engineer, sanitary and building inspectors, etc., and some of their staffs. This carries us nowhere. What is wanted is the annual cost of running all the services of the borough, provided thero was no loan money about. For instance, assuming no loans will be raised in this year, what will be the amount required iu.1901-32 to run the borough, leaving out of account interest and sinking fund on loans and amounts levied for other authorities, such as hospital. drainage, etc. Having got this, then a comparison might be made with the city, provided that the principle of like with like weiv established. This means that the services on which money is spent in Mount Albert could be compared with similar services iri the city and no other. It must be borne in mind that Mount .Albert has very few services indeed. The city has a large number, toward the cost of'many of which we suburbanites contribute nothing but- can enjoy. To show that Mr. Rhodes' comparison will not hold water. Mount Albert, with a'population of 20,000 at 4s 6d a head, costs £4500 a year. The city, with a population, of say. 100.000, at 12s 2d a head, incurs £60!800. The population of the city i» five times that of Mount Albert yet the cost of administration it over 13 times as much. G. R. Stenson. 1, Richardson Road, Mount Albert.