EVIDENCE OF PROSPERITY

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1926, Page 9

EVIDENCE OF PROSPERITY

PEOPLE PAY RATE DEMANDS BOROUGH COFFERS WELL FILLED. ONLY SMALL SUM OUTSTANDING. That in spite of the low advances for the sale of butter and cheese the townspeople of New Plymouth are not the whole able to meet their obligations is evident from the manner in which the rates for the current year in the borough of New Plymouth have been paid. Yesterday was the last day for payment before the imposition of the 10 per cent, penalty. Of the total rate demand of £48,677 2s 9d (which includes £224 Is 3d arrears from the previous year), a total sum of £46,522 12s 8d had been received at the council office by 4 p.m. yesterday, leaving a sum of £2154 10s Id still outstanding. Sums totalling £139 15s lOd were brought into the office after elosing time, and a substantial total was expected by last night’s mails, so that the actual amount unpaid to-day will probably be a considerable reduction from £2154 lOe Id, which, as a matter of fact, includes a sum of £6 17s 8d outstanding from the year 1925-26. The position may be summarised as follows:—i Rate Paid by Amount Year. Demand. Due Date. Unpaid. 1924- .. £47,915 £47,044 £1,871 1925- .. £48,125 £46,224 £1,901 1926- .. £48,677 £46,713 £1,964 The receipts quoted for 1926-27 include the amount received after the office closed yesterday, but not the amount received in last night’s mails. With the approach of the last day on Which rates could be paid without a penalty, the stream of ratepayers making towards the borough offices developed into a procession, and the three cashiers employed at the borough offices had a busy time. Yesterday, the last day of all, was the busiest, a total sum of £9174 passing over the counter before 4 p.m. On Wednesday the amount received was £8947, and on Tuesday it was £5016. The rapidity with which the cashiers carried out their duties, and the acuracy that characterised their work, may be estimated from the fact that yesterday they had struck a balance within half a minute after closing time. The total amount put through the cash register yesterday was approximately £lB,OOO. A total of 603 receipts were issued yesterday, and 604 on the previous day (Wednesday). The promptitude with which the great majority of ratepayers met their demands is regarded as a highly satisfactory sign of the times, betokening as it does the fact that financially the borough is sound. Such a good response was hardly hoped for by the borough authorities, owing to the recent conditions ruling on the dairy produce market, for the prosperity or otherwise of the farmers is always reflected almost immediately in the financial position of the townspeople.