SEPARATE ROAD ACCOUNTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 2, 18 August 1911, Page 8

SEPARATE ROAD ACCOUNTS.

DEALING WITH THE DEBITS. Cr. Rorntt moved at tho meeting of the County Council on Wednesday that some steps sliould he taken to reduce the debts on roads in the county. He read the following list of roads which were in debt: —

These, ho said were the roads which were more than three years in debt. The total debt was £4065 and the total revenue £568. Even without spending a penny of tho revenue on the roads it woidd take eight years for tho revenue to wipe out the debt. He had no doubt that, in some cases tho debt could bo explained away, and there would be other cases in which the roads could never pay their debts. If something w'ere not done at once the roads would cany their debts for over. There was no reason why the roads- should have got into debt, but that was no reason why something should not now be done to put the roads on a sound basis.

Cr Walter said bo was entirely opposed to the idea of imposing separate rates for tho purpose of getting rid of debts. He could not answer for other ridings, but in his riding it would not be right, to do it. The chairman said no money was being spent on the North Cardiff Road, all the revenue going towards wiping off tho debt. No money would be spent on tho road until the debt was wiped off, if ho had ids way. Ho did not prescribe -physic ho did not take himself and he advised other roads to follow the North Cardiff lead. Cr. Walter moved that the whole question he hold over till the new Council is elected. Cr. Maxwell seconded.

Cr. Walter said ho and Cr Marfeil had discussed the matter and had come to tho conclusion that in fairness to the ratepayers in tho East Riding separate rates could not bo struck. The debts had been creeping up for years and it would not ho fair to ask present-day ratepayers to pay them off. There had in the past been many fair-minded men on the Council, but not one of them had ever suggested taking the course proposed by Or. Porritt, and he (tho speaker) was sure they had failed to do it because they were convinced that it would not be fair to do it. In the South Riding it might bo fair to levy separate rates, hut it. would not he so in the East Riding. Tho loads in the back part of the East Riding get their debts through the foreign traffic which went over them before the railway was built, and since the building of the railway these roads had been holding their own. Further, these roads had only had tho . j * same treatment in the past as roads which now showed a credit and which carried no foreign traffic. Ho was sure the whole of the county ratepayers would he hotter satisfied if the roads were -kept in credit by the imposition of an increased general rate instead of by a small, irritating separate rate. Personally he would rather resign than vote in favour of a sepa-

rate rate for any of the roads on Mr Porritt’s list. There were cross roads which wore in credit, the traffic from which going over other roads put those other roads in debt. He altogether failed to see the justice of a separate rate.

Mr Porritt said lio did not suggest that a separate rate should be imposed in each case. He only desired that the roads sliould be gone through, ■and if help for them could not. bo got from other roads then something else should be done to improve their position. They could not go on allowng the debts to accrue. The Charnian said Cr. Walter had dealt very ably with the question. To call on ratepayers to pay the whole of the indebtedness which might have been caused by other roads, was unjust. It would bo necessary to consider the whole 6f the surrounding circumstances, and to decide what land, even outside the present rating areas, should be rated. Cr. Walter: It would mean going over tho whole of every riding. .The Chairman said it would probably ho so in certain cases. Tho power given to local bodies to create special rating areas was a good onp, but unless it was to be discredited it must bo used with discretion. Cr. Points deserved the thanks of the Coun-

cil for bringing up iho matter, which was not one to he wholly ignored. It was desirable to have all roads out of debt, and when they got into that conaition it. should he made a rule that the ratepayers on tho road should raise themselves any money they want’d for works. Even this rule could not be pushed to extremes. In any

case, he thought it. would he years before the roads were got out of debt. Cr. Thomson said the separate road i-counts had been tho salvation of the Council. Cr. Alirfoll said there wore roads in the East Riding which would always he in debt if they wore credited itii only their own revenue. Some-

ling in the direction of transference f funds might he done by tho promt council, hut the question of soi irate rates should he held over. , The motion was carried, tiicso vot-

ing against it being Crs. Thomson, Christoffei, Pori itt. and Hathaway.

TEE GRAND NATIONAL.

A TOTAIiISATO.II RECORD. The totalisatcr figures for the Grand National meeting constitute a record for tho Dominion. As tho meeting progressed the betting became f caviar, tho largest total for a single day being on Saturday, and this despite the fact that a number of visitors had left for their homes. Although at the National meeting last year a largo number of bookmakers were operating, a comparison between the amounts dealt with is of interest. These are as follows; —

It.will thus bo seen that there was an increase of no less than £32,047 on the amount dealt with previously. Largo as it is it would have been much greater had there been sufficient facilities for dealing with the rush of business, for a coniderable amount of money was shut out on many of the races. It is instructive to note that the totalisatcr money for the three days’ meeting exceeded that, handled daring tho four days of the last New Zealand Cup meeting (when bookmakers were licensed) by £2537. If the figures dealt with at the New Zealand .Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting are added to the C.J.C. total it is found that the enormous sum of £146,737 went through the totalisators at Christchurch last week.

Hoad Revenue. £ Debt r.‘ Kent Terrace ... ... 3 66 Cardiff North ... ... 8 81 Ciimio South ... ... ,67 277 Skinner South ... ... 26 148 Bird Lower ... 71 404 Douglas South ... ... 36 300 Gordon ... 51 196 Douglas North ... ... 27 191 Skinner East ... 6 48 Standish ... 23 115 Wawiri ... 67 312 Ahuroa ... 53 485 Brecon ... 9 39 Rowan South ... ... 9 117 Cardiff North ... 21 165 I'uniwhakau ,. 36 672 Tututawu ... 24. 144 Taihoro ... ... 31 242

1910. 1911. First day ... 20,406 29,574 Second day ... 19,721 30,680 Third day ... 20,505 32,425 Totals ... £60,632 £92,679