COUNTY FINANCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22610, 29 June 1935, Page 20

COUNTY FINANCES

ESTIMATES FOR CURRENT YEAR The chief items in the estimates prepared for the current financial year as considered at the Waitaki County Council meeting yesterday were as follow, the figures for the last year being shown in parentheses: — Receipts.—County fund, balance April 1, 1935, £6572 16s 4d (£8176 19s 6d); Ahuriri bridge protection account, balance April 1, 1935, £IBO 0s 6d (£252 14s); total cash balances, £6931 Is 7d (£8485 14a 6d); Ahuriri bridge protection account, rent, £270 (£270); subsidy on rates, £1760 5s (£IB9O lis sd); goldfields revenue, £250 (£328 3s lOd); dog registration, £325 (£309 17s 6d); various licenses, £2500 (£2BBI 4s sd); rent, £lB6 (£202 2s); petrol tax refund, £475 (£464 lis); main highways subsidy, £31,584 (£7330 17s sd); main highways subsidy plant, £3500 (£3252 3s Id); contractors' deposits, £598 16s 6d (£305 8s 6d); Government grants—Allday Bay-Herbert, nil (£139 4s 6d); Kuriheka-Mount Stalker, £36 19s (£60); Ben Avon bridge, nil (£lls 10s 9d); Tullymet road, £l4 5s 6d (£65); Fortification-Weston, £B7 10a (nil); Otekaike bridge, £7OO (nil); Birch Creek bridge, £lls 10s (nil); rates—arrears, £IOOO (£2612 7s Id); election expenses refunded, £ll7 16s lid (nil); rates—! levied, 1934-35, £12,282 9s 9d; amount re- ! quired. 1935-36, £21,009 10s 4d;—total, . £71,742 10s 4d (£41,478 12s). | Expenditure.—Salaries and administra- | tion, £1955 (£1829 10s 7d); hospital levy, I £SOOI 15s 8d (£4757 14s 3d); insurance, £162 (136 3s 8d); dog registration, £2OO I (£179 17s 8d); depot, nil (£262 5s sd); doctors' residences, £IOO (£25 3s); election expenses, £l9O (£8 16s 7d); members-' ! travelling expenses, £175 (£143 lis 8d); l engineers' car expenses, £l2O (£lO7 8s 4d); County Chambers, £25 (£lO2 12s 9d); reserves and cottages, £IOO (£291 7s 3d); small bird pest, £2OO (£l9O 13s 10d); traffic inspection, £BO (£2OO 19s lid); Valuation Department, £3OO (£39 15s); electric lighting, £IBO (£175 16s 4d); maintenance of riding roads and bridges, £SOOO (£6388 2a 7d); mainten-' ance of main roads and bridges:, £16,968 (£13,702 18s lOd); Main Highways construction, £30,290 (nil); tar-sealing re- : payment advance, £665 15s 8d (£631 Is 6d); plant purchases, £149 12g 8d (£2290 15s 8d); plant expenses —power graders, £2300 (£2219 9 8 7d), motor lorries £9OO (£826 17s Id), miscellaneous £SO (£133 6s 9d); unemployment relief, £I4OO (£Bl 5s 3d); Government grants—Allday Bay- j Herbert nil (£lOl 7s), Kuriheka-Mount \ Stalker nil (£193 18s), Ben Avon bridge j nil (£300), Tullymet road £25 (£133 Is); ; Fortification-Weston £175 (nil), Otekaike • bridge £I4OO (nil), Birch Creek bridge £231 (nil), Glencoe Scenic Reserve £IOO (nil), contractors' deposits £777 0s 9d (£lB3 4s 9d), Ahuriri bridge protection work £350 (£342 13s 6d); plant replacement account, £1268 19a 2d (nil);—total, £71,742 10s 4d (£36,784 la). The clerk reported that the present valuation of the county was £4,676,420, a reduction of 8.75 per cent. Mr Rodman stated that a very heavy programme of work, which included the reconstruction and sealing of the PukeuriWaitaki highway, reconstruction and metalling of Oamaru-Maheno highway, sealing the Herbert-Waianakurua highway, reconstruction, metalling and sealing the Wainakurua-Hampden highway, and Public Works camp at Hillgrove, had been approved by the District Highways Council. It was not suggested to increase the rate to find the whole of the amount > required in one year, but to raise a loan I from the Loans Board at a reasonable rate of interest to cover the amount required over three years. Cr Meek said he thought the chairman was to be congratulated on getting such a programme approved through his "pleasure jaunt to Dunedin." Mr Rodman replied that,he thought it a case of " least said, soonest mended." The clerk stated that the programme provided an expenditure of £47,258, of which the council's share was £12,174. j They would require authority to borrow j sufficient to complete the programme. ' The clerk reported that the rates ! levied last year at id on 75 per cent of , the capital value, amounted to tu.iMThe same rate this year would bring in £14,614. a rate of 4-sd, £15,588, and id, £17,049. In a statement to the council, the clerk reported that, 68.90 per cent, of the ratepayers in the Waitaki County paid under £5 in rates, 14.80 per cent, from to £lO, 9.98 per cent, from £lO to £2O, 4.86 per cent, from £2O to £3O, and 1.56 per cent, over £3O per annum. He had noticed a letter in the papers by " Mortgagor," but if they struck no rate it would not put the farmers on their feet. Mr Gardiner, in a comparative statement covering four-yearly periods, also furnished illuminating figures dealing conclusively with the alleged burden ot rates in, the Waitaki County. In the four years from 1928 to 1931 inclusive, the rates levied amounted to £90,498 6s 6d, compared with £55,856 0s Id for the four years 1932 to 1935 inclusive, showing a saving to the ratepayers during the last-mentioned period of £34,642 6s sd. In addition to this saving, there had been the 12} ner cent, subsidy in 1932 of £2966 19s 7d, and in 1935 of £1469 5s 9d, or a total saving to the ratepayers in the last four years of £39,078 Us 9d. The clerk also pointed out that there would be no necessity for a special rate to meet interest and sinking fund on the proposed loan, but if they aimed at raising, £17.000 a year in rates over several years the saving in maintenance on the completion of the tar sealing would meet interest and sinking fund on the loan. Cr Ross pointed out that the rate included hospital levy, which was increased this year.

Cr Adams said he would not like to see the rates raised unduly, as the same rate would bring in a» much as last year, less 8 per cent. The clerk said he considered it would not be safe to aim at less than £17,000, as they would not collect the whole of that amount.

Cr Ross moved that a rate of {d in the £ for this year, and that steps be taken to obtain authority from the ratepayers to borrow up to £IO,OOO. It did not necessarily follow that they would have to borrow the full amount, and when the work was completed the maintenance cost would be considerably less, and the ratepayers would get the benefit later. Cr Adams moved as an amendment that the rate be 4-sd. On a division, the 4-5 d rate was carried, the voting being: For—Crs Tayior, Adams, Meek, Rodger, Brewster, Aubrey; against—Crs Ross and Rutherford.

It was pointed out that if the loan were raised through the Loans Board the rate of interest would probably be SJ per cent., not more than 4 per cent., whereas if the council borrowed from the Highways Board, and if the proposal were turned down, they would have to do so to complete the works programme, the rate of interest would be 4} per cent. It was unanimously decided to take steps to obtain authority to borrow up to £IO,OOO for a period of 10 years. The chairman and Crs Ross and Meek were appointed a sub-committee to arrange details of the proposal. BASKETBALL TEAMS FOR TO-DAY. Star A team to play at 2.30 p.m.— Misses J. Miller, O. Hedges, K. Pilling, N. M'Caffrey, M. Robertson, P. Minty, S. Colclough, I. Cawley, G. Cooke. Star B team to play at 3.15 p.m. — Misses D. Crawshaw, B. Warnock, L. Johnston, I. Hay, G. Abel, B. Brown, P. Jenkins, C. Jenkins, E. Abel; emergencies —Mieses L. Smith, L. Youna. M. Minty, K. Heavey.