REMARKABLE RECORD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18378, 21 April 1934, Page 5

REMARKABLE RECORD

LOCAL BODY FINANCE i ■ — MARLBOROUGH RESULTS RATES COME IN FREELY (Per Press Association.) BLENHEIM, this day. The improved wool prices are probably responsible for the remarkable record put up by the local bodies of Marlborough during the financial year ended March 31, for, in spite of a record drought, rates came in freely, and, with one exception, ail local authorities report heavy credit balances. The Awateve County Council completed, the year with a record cash balance of £7OOO, the collection of 95 per cent, of the. current year’s rates, and 50 per cent, of the £4OOO which was outstanding. The Wairau River Board finished the. year with £3OOO cash in hand; the Marlborough County Council with £2500'; the Marlborough Hospital Board, £1266; and Picton Borough, £000; while the Marlborough Power Board, after the full payment of interest, sinking fund, depreciation, etc., emerged with a cash credit balance of £I9OO, the Blenheim municipal gasworks show a credit of £I2OO, and the Picton electricity department £748. The Blenheim Borough Council collected 80 per cent, of the current rates and 32 per cent, of its arrears, but concluded the year with a debit balance at tho bank of £972, as against which it lias the gasworks credit of £I2OO. The debit in the general account is more than accounted for by the fact that £I7BO -was paid out of current revenue to subsidise unemployed working on the Blenheim sewerage schemes.