The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1913. BOROUGH FINANCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 71, 1 April 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1913. BOROUGH FINANCE.

With commendable promptitude the Town Clerk, .Mr P. Skoglund, has completed the Borough balance sheet for the year ending March 3Lst, and it now awaits audit. The statement of the Borough’s affairs disclosed therein must bo considered to show a very satisfactory year’s working, for though the actual expenditure exceeded the amount estimated by £Bll this excess is principally accounted for by the purchase of a road roller, and by charges to Town Hall account. The actual receipts exceeded the estimate by £292, the detailed summary, which we arc able to place at this early stage before the ratepayers by couitesy of the Town Clerk, being as under: — RECEIPTS. Actual Estimated Receipts. General Rate ... 2591 2531 Arrears ... 50 50 10 per cent, additional 10 19 Rent of Reserves ... 631 663 Rent of Municipal Chambers ••• . Govt. Subsidy on Rates 188 188 License Fees ... 553 608 Water Rates ... 320 443 Arrears ... ... 12 13 Sundries ... ... 72 Refunds ... ... 56 £4355 £4647

KXI’EN'DITOBE.

Actual Estimated Expenditure. Salaries ... ... 404 401 Administration , ... 230 312 Lighting ... ' ... 339 333 Fire prevention 125 183 Water Works and D’ge 305 372 Streets 2294 2602 Horses and drays ... 145 157 Sundries ... ... 100 305 Reading Room Library 120 86 Town Hall * 30 137 H. and C. Aid ... 157 157 Bank Interest and ch’ges 100 116 £4355 £5166

As indicated the estimated receipts wore exceeded by about £3OO, rents, license fees and water rates accounting for the difference. The expenditure of £Bl I over the estimated sum required became necessary under the following heads:—Administration £B6, cost of re-valuation of the Borough and of notifying loan proposals accounting for this sum. Fire-preven-

lion absorbing £63 above the estimates through repairs to tiie Fire Station building and the purchase of new hose and reel. Waterworks cost £67 in oxcoss or estimates owing to repairs to the weir and extension of the water mains made during the year.

Streets expenditure exceeded the amount allotted by £3OB, but in reality there was an under-expendi-ture of the sum estimated at the beginning of the financial period, as the whole cost of the road roller has been paid during the year, whereas onlyj cl."ilt u-ns nl.med on the estimates to-.

w ards this purpose, the original idea j of the Council being to place such a, sum per annum on tiie estimates until the capital cost of £<so was pro-] vided. Increased sundry expenses totalling £205 was caused through the necessity to effect more extensive repairs to the Municipal Buildings than anticipated. Town Hall expenditure unfortunately absorbed £IOO more than estimated, rents falling off by some £7O, as compared with the previous corresponding period, and the sum of £25 being outlaid on the necessary renovation of stock scenery. It Is re-i grettable that the Town Hall has not been a better revenue earning pro-; position, and the position in this regard certainly requires tiro Council’s careful consideration. Various causes have contributed to the decreased use of the Hall, but with the steady growth of the town and district it is surprising to find a falling off in the earning power of tins building. If the Hall ’requires enlargement andj improvement as affirmed in some quarters, tlie time has arrived when such an undertaking should he faced. On 31st March, 1912, the Borough’s Bank overdraft was £1614, and on March 31st of the present year £2139, the net increase being £525. It has, however, to be remembered that £750 was expended on a much-needed road roller,; repairs to the Municipal Buildings cost £130; plant and requisites for Fire Brigade purposes absorbed £IOO, and waterworks extension £7O, making a total of extraordinary expenditure amounting to £IOSO. From the above it appears that the estimates were well-considered and that, on the whole, the year’s working cannot he taken exception to. One point on which the Town Clerk must certainly be congratulated is that, while over £IOO in outstanding rates was duo on March 31st, 1912, only £36 is outstanding at this date. The total sunt of the rates struck for the 1912-13 period ended on March 31st, was £4246.