RISING COSTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19336, 28 May 1937, Page 12

RISING COSTS

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION 40-HOUR WEEK EFFECT -WAIKOHU COUNCIL REPORT . " (Herald Correspondent.) . The effect of the adoption of the 40hour week in connection with public works in the Wuikohu County- was ; the subject of a special report to the annual meeting of the council at its annual meeting on. Wednesday, when members were informed that £1876. would have to be provided for over and above'' the actual outlay' For 1936-37.

The wages to be paid for the year were estimated at £8312, on the basis of last year’s conditions, and to this estimate was added £866, the cost of extra labour necessary to make up lour hours per man-week, £l5O 'for camp allowance for men employed out of reach of their homes, £l5O as overtime at extra rates, and £172 allowance for holidays on pay. The total outlay thus reached £9650, as against £7774 expended to secure the same amount of .work in 1936-37.

.. .Other increases in costs to be faced during the current financial year, the county clerk, Mr. J. G. Appleton, explained in submitting the annual estimates, would include the additional cost of contract prices, £1225; the increase in costs of materials purchased by the county council, £400; and the increase in the levy on the council for Cook Hospital Board purposes, amounting to £620 over last year’s levy. In all, the council would have to provide £4121 more this year than during the year just closed. . . . ' - • • County Valuations < Ratepayers in the respective ridings of the Waikohu County doubtless will find much interest in the figures submitted by the clerk relative to the effect of the recent revaluation of the county lands. The schedule showed first the riding totals and the county total of the valuation made in 1931; next the ratable value of the ridings and county after the general reduction of 25 per cent which was conceded in 1937 in order that those applying for special valuations might not enjoy an undue advantage over their neighbours, and • third the riding and county totals under the valuation recently completed. These figbres are:—

The decrease in the total valuation from 1931 to 1937-38 represented 29 per cent, the Motu riding values falling 47.8 per cent below the 1931 level, and the Waihuka values falling 32.7 per cent-. Tc Karaka town district lost only 21.3 pel cent of value, by comparison with 1931, and the percentage decreases in the cases of other portions of the county were Karaka riding, 25.2; Kanakanaia, 23.1; Mangatu riding 22.6; Waipaoa riding 22.2; Ngatapa riding, 27.7.

■ 1931 1936-37 1937-38 Riding £ £ £ Te Karaka • town 27,127 20,391 21,355 Karaka ... : 190.730--145.169 142.745 Kanakanaia 179.222 144.010 137.840 Motn 166,028 129.242 86.590 Waihuka .. 231,655 183,275 155,810 Mangatu .... . 234,490 179,502 181,455 VVaipaoa .. 344,025 265,287 267,456 Ngatapa ... 206,187 158,407 149,050 Totals ... 1,579,464 1,225,283 1,120,946