ST. KILDA ESTIMATES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 10

ST. KILDA ESTIMATES

APPROVED BY COUNCIL BOROUGH’S SOUND POSITION CERTAIN STREET-SEALING HELD OVER “In a few years we shall bo without one penny of indebtedness.” remarked the Mayor (Mr J. J. Marlow) during a discussion on the estimates for 1937-1938. which were submitted last evening to the fortnightly meeting of the St, Kilda Borough Council. Mr Marlow reminded councillors, however, that while they were committed to certain expenditure during the coming year they could deal only with revenue at their disposal. The schedule presented by the town clerk (Mr J. V. Trezise) showed that the estimated revenue which included a surplus of £IOOO from last year, amounted to £12.390, the expenditure being estimated at £13.077. which made he excess of expenditure over receipts £687. He recommended, however, that the sealing of certain streets, the cost of which was set down at £689 14s should be deferred for another year. Drainage rates for the year had been fixed at Id in the £ on capital value, or 3.96 d in the £ on unimproved value, and the revaluation of the borough had reduced the amount of the Hospital Board's levy for the current year by £166. Mr Trezise recommended that the rates struck should be the same as last year, as follows: —General, 3.27 d: special. 3.13 d: water. ,75d: hospital. 1.94 d: drainage. 3.96 d: and sanitary, 1.3 d. The principal items on the expenditure side were as follows: —Foreman s schedule. £5762; street lighting, fire protection, sanitary, and traffic inspections, and tip maintenance. £5762; water and maintenance of supply. £3405: salaries and mayor’s honorarium, £852; legal and sundry expenses. stationery, office and hall maintenance. £558; Domain Board levy. £150: grants, £B2; unauthorised rates, bank charges, interest, and sundry payments, £4BB. The chairman of the Finance Committee (Cr N. D. Anderson) reviewed the town clefk’s report, and said it had to be remembered that the borough had only a limited amount of money at its disposal for the improvement of streets. There was no question that thousands of pounds could be spent if the money w a re available, and it had been found necessary to select localities in which the need for street repairs was most urgent. The time was not far distant, however, when the borough would have to meet additional costs and expenditure in several directions. Referring to the employment of casual men, Cr Anderson said that he had been opposed to dismissing these employees, more especially' as winter was coming on, but he no) ■ had to concede very reluctantly and regretfully that they would have to stand down. The only alternative was an increase in the rates, and he could not support this. Fire protection had been set down at £770. an increase of £163 over last year, and he wanted to suggest that further consideration be given to tip maintenance and the purchase of water- from the city. Generally speaking, the remaining items of expenditure were pretty well in line with those of last year. The Mayor said that the borough was in a .nancial position of which it might well be proud. It had a loan indebtedness of £76,000, which was being wiped off at the rate of £2500 per annum, and this, he considered, was evidence of an extremely healthy financial position. This year the council had undertaken the gleaning and relining of the water mains at a cost of £6500, and after this year there would be a balance of roughly £I4OO of this amount left to nay,_ so that the council was getting over its expenditure remarkably well. Cr J. H. Hinton congratulated the town clerk on the conciseness of his schedule, and emphasised that only the most urgent work had been included in the estimates. He had been relieved to find, after inspecting the streets of the borough, that the majority of them were not in a bad state at all, and could easily stand ove. - for another 12 months, with small expenditure from unappropriated funds. He agreed with Cr Anderson that the casual labour now in the council's employ would have to stand down, but he suggested that next year the council should set down some fixed period for which they were to be employed. This was only fair to the borough and to the men themselves. The estimates, with the town clerk’s recommendation regarding the holding over until next year the sealing of certain streets at a cost of £689 14s, were approved.