THE COUNTY’S FINANCES.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 803, 1 August 1894, Page 3

THE COUNTY’S FINANCES.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Hoping I will not be intruding on jour generosity by asking you to insert this letter in your valuable paper. Being a ratepayer of the P&hiatua County, I must say l am deeply impressed with the state of the finances of this County as shown in the balance-sheet for 1894. I was expecting that some of the ratepayers would have taken up the matter before this; doing so may have the etleot of drawing the attention of all conoerned to the indebtedness and management of the County’s finances. No I—General account.” I find the whole amount of the general rates collected are only shown in the one total. I think it would be more satisfactory to the ratepayers if the amount of rates collected from each riding were shown separately, then the ratepayers would be in a position to know as to its expenditure. The balance-sheet only «hows us the amount transferred from the general account to each riding, it should also show us the general revenue received from each riding. The tranfers from the special fund account, or otherwise the amounts taken from all loans raised for the year is .£966 7s, while the expenditure in salaries, engineering, clerical work, advertising, law costs, even including the travelling expenses of the Chairman and Councillors, is £935 Is 7d. The amount taken from loans exceeds the amount mentioned in such expenditure by £•3l 5s sd. The* unfortunate settlers who have the misfortune to tax themselves for a loan for the purpose of making a muddy road or bridle track to their sections must pay the whole expenditure in connection with administering theafi'airsof the County for the dear. Are we to sit silently and allow loans to be spirited aw'ay in the manner of having it transferred from the special account to the general account under the cloak as expenses in raising loans. AVe are not only called on to pay general rates to the general account, but are compelled to augment it otherwise indirectly. lam not surprised that the Auditor-General should demur, and sav such a thing is not sanctioned by law. I j would say no, nor by common sense. If the general account needs enlarging, do so | l>y striking a larger rate. Do not enlarge | it :u the expense of the settlers who are | forced to tax themselves for the luxury of a muddy track to their homesteads. Let those settlers who have good metal roads to their homestead* also have the pleasure of contributing their part tu the general account. The member for the Makuri riding was moving in the right direction when lie proposed that a larger general rate should bo le\ ied some time ago. No 11— •* Separate Accounts.” One to five for the present I will leave alone, and will take up No 6—“ I.and Fund.” This fund is so wrapped up in itself, or the word “ various” is so embracing that it great .teal to conjeoture. One thing 1 a.n certain of, there are some roads in the Makuri riding not included in this word ** various ' which should have been. I find a credit balance to this fund of £2590 17* 7d and perhaps next balancesheet may show tlmt the roads now ex:iuaed -will b r in.ludod in tyis word' ' various.” Also. 1 am afraid I am doomed to disappointment, for, in looking a little further on. I perceive it i* but an imaginary balance; instead of a balance I *r*u Unit fund is indebted to the Bank to the amount of £l7l 4* lOd—a poor prospect for the etileis who have received no benefit from the 3rds accrued from their sections. I know one road in the Makuri riding that the land fund should havo at the least about £SOO to its credit to be expended on this road. A I*.; a »*t the scu - rate account* 1 to 5, which, »n the main, constitutes the general account, I find their indebtedness or debit balances are £240*2 15s 3d. It is shown in the balances that this general • ( the amount of £B9 Os 2d. Therefore this ;eneral account mud be indebted to some llnng to the tuae of L 2304 15s Id. dlv ,oi..e uthujr thiag u tttu laud fund, lhe land fund with its credit balance of L 2950 I7s7d is also indebted to the Bank for Ll7l U lOd. This fund with its indebtedness gives a total of 1.2762 2s 5d of the land fund taken and diverted tor some illegitimate purpose, rr he purpose it is i to s maue good the general account by wiping out itt debit balances. Tlu back country and settlers without roads. arc the sufferers, and the

av/a oi. to ini'- ip.it that the .lonny .oat snould be expanded in giving *. , a cc-.s to your sections is diverted ; ime l arpose laid down by the Land s .i •* j*.. M idedoit other works the better, \So nave i.Qtonly to contribute to ‘he gene ral account by paying our general rate, but yfs are also compelled in un indirect way to tanner ?mugntont its fund, either by having a portion of a loan transferred to •> * ' acral account, or our 3rd* utilised ,a *ip mg out ita uenit oalance*. Jioadless settlers, we have languished long enough V , in ,T our Council would dosomething for « ; ,ve arc i idled to have done. It t , •. .i .*fs*l*e*, and demand . tne Conned that the money taken f ll an a* be refunded, a* l U iofiitimutely expended. >lr Vile seems to think the Puketniku riding is in a hopeless condition. My opinion is, it is most fortunate in having its works and roads made H t the * xpense of the roftdlwa settlers.

■ hi patronage from this riding, and give one of the other ridings a turn. The general account laust he worked more .'loraicallv and stop drawing from the w ihei account* in the manner followed heretofore, mid pay back to the land fund that amount it has drawn from it. The way u can be done u lo levy » rate on •a< i. riding according to its indebtedness jor the purpose of refunding this amount m the land fund, or else lei each riding rm.e a separate loan comtaliblo with iu indebted!*** t or tnie purpose, and rate ,i«elf accordingly. The roadless and back »etiler* must get what they aro entitled to, and the sooner the Council take this into consideration ih« better for all inter* *ted. Knowing. Mr Editor, I have m>*pn-"ted too much on your kindness, 1 will*- • v no more just now, hoping on soim future‘occasion you will again honour me i * f have a little more to *a.y on the auhient. 1 am, *to., T. Nrstor.