FINANCES OF COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1932, Page 8

FINANCES OF COUNTY

SUCCESS OF STRATFORD COUNCIL.

POSITION OF REDING ACCOUNTS.

The Stratford county fund at March 31, reported the clerk (Mr. C. J. Campbell) to the council on Saturday, showed a credit balance of £5016, as compared with £632 at the same date last year. The position of the riding accounts was:—

The north riding therefore .had lost £2O of its original credit, while all ridings with the exception of Ngatimaru had shown an improvement. The cause of the increase in the debit balance of that riding had been the extensive repairs in the Kiore tunnel. The position of the rates for the year just completed showed an improvement of 4.82 per cent, on connections. That was due to the 12 j per cent, rebate. The following statement showed the rates as compared with the previous year: —

“I wish to congratulate the treasurer upon the statement he has prepared so soon after the end of the financial .year, especially as the position is satisfactory,” said Cr. S. Pitt. Cr. J. T. Belcher said the engineer (Mr. J. W. Spence) should be included in the congratulations. The roads carrying the main traffic had been greatly improved and made up-to-date, which meant that the cost of maintenance in the future would decrease. The council was within measurable distance of the time when it would be possible to reduce the rates a little more. Great credit was due to the engineer in that respect. Cr. J. C. Best said he was pleased with the position of the south riding, which now had a credit balance as compared with a debit when he joined the council two years ago. There were two or three pieces of road that required attention, and he thought there was now a chance that the work could be done. “I think ratepayers realise that the council has endeavoured to reduce, expenditure and to bring the works, within the scope of the revenue, and realise that it has been successful,” *aid Cr. H. C. Taylor. Cr. L. Bunn thanked the chairman, the engineer, the clerk and the councillors for their sympathy with and assistance to the Mangaehu riding, the liability of which had been substantially reduced.

Riding 1931. 1932. £ £ North, ■... .. Or. 2075 Cr. 20*53 South. .... ... Dr. 1769 Cr. 507 East .... ... Dr. 1961 Cr. 553 West .... .., Cr. 1949 Cr. 2009 Mangaehu Dr. 2667 ' Dr. 1110 Ngatimaru !f - Dr. 10 Dr. 60

Bates. 1930-31 1931-32 Levied ........ , £24,147 £21,144 Collected , £20,480 £18,958 Outstanding .. . £3,001 . £2,185 89.66 P.c. collected i. 84.84 Total owing ., £4,503 : £3,391