THE CITY FINANCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9274, 21 April 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CITY FINANCES.

An outline of the transactions for the year was given by the Mayor at the meeting of the City Council on Friday. The total amount of rates received was L 39,875, which was about L 290 more than the estimate. The sum received for rents was L384714a10d, as against the estimate of L4lll Ss 3d. The amount received for licenses was L 4742 3s sd, the estimate being L 4680. The fees from building regulations and sanitary by-laws did not come up to the estimate, which was LSOO, the amount received being L 413 15s. The amount received from the Government for supply or water alen fell short of the estimate, which was L6OO, the amount received being L5lB 0s Bd. The amount received from the Harbour Board for supply of water was in excess of the estimate. The amount r*. iived was LIJ24 13s bcl, and the estimate was LI7OO. The amount received for supply of water to the public and for machinery purposes, was L 2304 10s Bd, as against the estimate of T2-OU. The water closet fees amountted to LI2OB 10s Od, the estimate being LllsO. The total receipts from all sources, leaving out several small items, was L 57,368 18s, which was L 1343 10a in excess of the estimate. In expenditure they had gone considerably over the estimate in some items, while in others they were short of the estimate. The expenditure for street lighting was L 2079, the estimate being L 1950, The expenses in connection with street watering and scavenging was a few pounds below the estimate. Ihe expenditure for this item wasLlßs2 14a Id, and the estimate, LIBB4. The estimate of expenditure for the collection of refuse and working the destructor was L 875 2*, while the amount actually expended was L 934 12s. In the item “street works ” (which included labour, roadmetal, timber, etc.) they had considerably overrun the constable. The estimate was L6H2O, whereas the actual expenditure was L74C7 4s lOd, In answer to a question, his Worship said that the streets on the reclamation were constructed out of loan money. He drew the attention of Councillor Harris, as Chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee, to the fact that while the estimate for the Fire Brigade was L 1250, the amount expended was L 1409 19s lid. Councillor Harris pointed'out that this expenditure included the purchase of hew carriages, etc., which would not occur again for years, ihe Mayor said the explanation was a fair one. Resuming, his Worship said that the estimate for printing, advertising, etc., was L4OO, while the expenditure had amounted to Loo7 2s lUa. Tho estimate for drainage works been L 1550. but they had actually expended L 2646 19a 6d. The waterworks account showed a peculiar state of affairs. The estimate was L 5335, but they had only expended L 1774 14s 2d. He explained that they had sold material to the extent of L6OO, and the amount of the expenditure was reduced by that sum. The estimate on “interest on loans was L27,09i), whereas the expenditure was L 26.893 9s 2d. The .whole result showed that the Corporation revenue was fairly elastic. It would, however, not bear too much straining, and they would still have to pursue the same economical course next year that they had adopted in the past twelve months. Un the whole he thought they were in a very creditable condition. In reply to Councillor Petherick, the Mayor stated there war now practically no overdraft on the waterworks account.