CITY OF DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 8

CITY OF DUNEDIN.

THE MUNICIPAL YEAR

ANNUAL REPORTS.

The Town Olerk (Mr G. A. Lewm) of the Oitv of Dunedin has just completed the compilation of hie annual report, in whicn be puts on record, in his own words, his own conception of what a town clerks annual report should be. The result is a much more ambitious effort than any previously submitted. The report, bound m book form, well printed and admirably arranged, serves the purpose of a handbook for the city, and is well worth perusal and study by all who take an interest in municipal affairs..

The total value of new buildings erected during the year is set dawn at £175,655, as compared with £172,346 for the previous year. The rateable valuation has increased from £469,672 to £483,722, or equal to 8 per cent. The report reviews successively the public health and sanitary services, refers to the recent conference called by the District Health Officer, the abattoirs, and enumerates the gifts to the city. Details are given of the recent elections, of the attention by councillors to municipal business as shown by their attendance at meetings of council and committees. In a review of the trading departments of the council Mr Lewin says the following points are brought out: 1. That the output of gas shows a falling off ae compared with the previous year. la. That the demand for electricity for all purposes, including lighting, ha.s shown a steady increase throughout the year. 2. That the gas department has earned a substantial profit, a portion of which has been transferred to the general account in relief of rates. 2a. That the electric power and lighting department, tested by precisely the same methods of accountancy as that applied to the gas department, shows a loss. 3. That the manufacturing end of the gas department has a capacity, without further capital outlay, of very considerable expansion of business. 3a. That, consequent upon tho growing demand for electric current, the electric power and lighting department is unable to meet ihese demands without the expenditure of very oonsiderbale additional capital. CITY TREASURER'S REPORT. The City Treasurer in his analysis of the account says:— The revenue on general account is shown at £64,664 16s 2d, and the expenditure at £62,474 3s 6d, leaving a net surplus of £2190 12s Bdi The cost of the sanitary conveniences, £3058 13s, and Heriot Row, £791 4s sd, has been taken from the " Special Fund Account," as authorised by the council. The total revenue will be seen to have exceeded the estimates by £3944 5s 4d, while the expenditure has exceeded the allocations by £1753 12s Bd. This excess expenditure, however, is more than accounted for by the refunds. It is satisfactory to note that out of the total rates due for the year (£75,256), we have succeeded in collecting 99.6 per cent., leaving only £334 outstanding'. As a consequence of the re-valuation of the gas department's property and plant, the figures of the balance sheet have been considerably altered, it having been found necessary to write the book values down by £66,047 on account of plant having depreciated, or been discarded and never written off. This amount has now been debited to profit and loss account. The revenue shows a further decrease this year of £1248, and the expenditure has been reduced by £1639, leaving the department £391 to the good as compared with the previous year. The contribution to renewal fund has been increased by £I3OO/ and £I2OO has also been charged for depreciation, which has the effect of showing the net profit as £2109 less than last year. The renewal fund is now calculated on the estimated life of the various portions of plant and machineiry and not on the amount of Joans as formerly. The Waterworks Department shows a net profit of £11,602 14s 5d for the year, as against £9933 14s lOd for the previous year, being an increase of £1668 _ 19s 7d. This is the result of an increase in the revenue of £2224 10s 6d, and an increase in the expenditure of £555 10s lid. The revenue of the tramways shows an increase of £3720 for the- year, as compared with an increase of £3183 for the previous year. The items of expenditure show an increase of £1704, but the percentage of expenditure to total revenue has been reduced from 88.8 per cent, to 86.6 per cent. The amount set aside for renewal fund has been increased, and in addition to this depreciation amounting to £2953 has been debited to profit and loss account. It will be observed that the amortisation account has now disappeared from the balance sheet, the amount of £1784 18s 8d which had accumulated to the credit of this account having been paid over to the Sinking Fund Commissioners and the amount standing against "Horse Car Purchase Money ' having been written down by . a like amount. ' The profit and i'oss epr propriatibn account has -been debited "with! the«balance of George street track repair*,

and £550 on aeccunt of shelter sheds. This leaves a balance to the credit of profit and loss account of £11,613 available for writing down th© dead assets, and I recommend that the Horse Car Purchase Money account be further written down by, say, £IO,OOO.