CLIFTON COUNTY RATES

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1933, Page 9

CLIFTON COUNTY RATES

POSITION IN THE RIDINGS ♦ DIFFERENTIAL RATE QUESTION. ANIMATED COUNCIL DISCUSSION. THREE AMENDMENTS DEFEATED.

Whether the rating in the various ridings of the Clifton county should be raised or lowered according as the ridings had debit or credit balances, and the necessity for providing adequately for maintenance as opposed to a general desire for a decrease in the rate exercised the minds of the councillors when it became necessary to fix the rate at a meeting of the council at Waitara yesterday. Opinion was evenly divided and unshaken, with the result that three amendments had to be disposed of before the chairman’s (Mr. H. A. Foreman) original motion—that the rates be the same as last year—could be carried. The estimated figures for the present year are:—

Receipts: Subsidy on rates £991, penalty bn rates £5O, heavy traffic licenses £7Ol, other licenses £76, hire of plant to Main Highways Board, main highways subsidies £2900, dog tax £l2O, miscellaneous £92, total £5OOO.

Expenditure: Members’ expenses £92, hospital levy £1757, clerical £369, inspector £275, office expenses £l3O, printing and advertising £154, Health Department £47, chairman’s honorarium £75, bank interest £l6O, miscellaneous £383, engineering £458, road machinery, benzine, etc., £1358, Waitara bridge subsidy £lOO, Otaraoa Road subsidy £540, main county roads £672, bank interest on advances £lOO, highways maintenance £lO5B, highways contribution £450, interest on loans £lll3, sinking funds £lBB, flood damage £750, Mokau riding roads £9OO, Uruti- riding roads £7OO, Urenui riding roads £l5OO, Tikorangi riding roads £750, Waihi riding roads £7OO, total estimated expenditure £14,679, less estimated receipts £sooo—estimated amount to be provided by rates £9679.

In the above expenditure no allowance is made for expenditure from land fund account, which amounts to £530 12s Id. In view of the demands of the Treasury for repayment or expenditure, this item should be allowed for, as the entire amount is a direct charge on the general account. : RATING SCHEDULE. The rating schedule moved by the chairman and eventually carried, to be confirmed at next meeting, was:— Mokau Riding: General 1 3-Bd, hospital 3-Bd, bridge loan id, total 2d. < Uruti Riding:: General 1 3-Bd, hospital 3-Bd, bridge loan id, total 2d. Urenui Riding: General 1 3-Bd, hospital 3-Bd,. bridge loan id, total 2d. Tikorangi Riding: General 7-8 d; hospital 3-Bd, bridge loan Jd, total lid.

Waihi. Riding: General 7-Bd, hospital 3-Bd, bridge loan.id, total lid. The amounts collected in the ridings last year and the amounts expected to be forthcoming this year are: Mokau, £1312 collected last year, £1604 due this year; Uruti, £1177, £1316; 'Urenui, £3728, £3358’; Tikorangi, £ll7B, £1242; Waihi, £2032, £2127; totals, £8977 collected,’£9647 due. After looking at the riding figures he did not think it was wise to recommend a reduction, said the chairman. They had paid off the antecedent liability loan of £4OO and £270 oh plant. Against that this year there would have to be provided money to re-coat 2-J miles of bituminised road from the Waitara borough boundary northward, also £233 as portion of the cost of surface sealing of 100 chains at Waitoitoi, which had been ,remetalled two years ago and was in good order. Taking everything into consideration he could not think any reduction would be possible. He moved that the rates remain as before.

Cr. J. F. Phillips said' he failed to see why two ridings were td be let off with and the others had to pay 2d. Tikorangi and Waihi ridings were near the. port and possessed many facilities. The other ridings had all the difficulties, and a bigger rate. Mr. Barnitt said the Waihi riding was “up against, it.” The receipts had-gone down.by half. They had cut (the salaries of. the engineer and the clerk, but they -had not cut down any county expenses, Urenui with a credit of £370 paid 2d, Waihi with a debit of £6BO .’paid IJd.j There had been a saving of £7OO and there had been considerable expenditure on the Onaero corner, which could be cut down. The Clifton county, thought Cr. Barnitt, was the only county in Taranaki that had not reduced its rates since the slump began. The chairman: They were reduced three years ago. Cr. Barnitt: Only slightly. DEBIT WIPED OUT. Cr. Phillips said a debit of £4BOO in the Urenui riding had been worked off in seven years. He thought Urenui, could do with another cut. Waihi could do with a cut the other way. ' Cr. F. Sarten said he considered that if rates were to be cut necessary work would' have to be cut, too. The engineer (Mr. N. C. Fookes) pointed out that maintenance work was being kept at a minimum and there would shortly be a greater mileage of metalled roads to be looked after. “At any rate,” continued Cr. Phillips, “it is a sore point with Urenui settlers that they have to pay 2d. The special hospital and bridge rates would have to remain, but a reduction might be made in the general rate. Cr. Barnitt pointed out that he had always contended the county should be administered as a whole. Tikorangi was in the best position at present and the backblock settlers were hard pressed. The chairman emphasised that if rates were reduced expenditure would necessarily come down. They had finished the year with £5OO, which was sailing close to the wind. No one wished to reduce rates more than he did, but if they did many roads would not perhaps see the grader next summer.. During the year Urenui and Tikorangi had increased their credits. If the Urenui rate was reduced he was in duty bound to ask for a reduction in Tikorangi. Cr. Phillips moved that in view of the credit in the Urenui riding the riding general rate be reduced l-Bd. He suggested the council emulate the farmers and reduce expenditure. Th chairman: We can reduce expenditure, but the roads will suffer. Cr. Barnitt supported the amendment, which was defeated by four votes to three.

Cr. Barnitt moved a further amendment that there be a general reduction of l-8d over all ridings. Cr. Sarten: Can you explain how you’re going to run the county that way? There was £7OO that would not need to be found, replied Cr. Barnitt, and they could cut expenses. Cr. E. A. Shaw said he would like to see the rates come down, but the saving would be so small that he did not think there would be any benefit. The county ' financial position was not very good. Cr. Phillips seconded • the amendment.

The chairman said that if the amendment were carried it seemed as if they would have to cut out some of the main road work, and' riding members would

have to consider where expenditure could be cut out. They had to keep riding roads in good order. He did not see how the rates could be reduced. Tikorangi as a riding could reduce but not the others.

Cr. Shaw asked what would happen at Mokau. That riding had gone back and had many roads to keep at small return. The amendment was defeated, the voters being the same as for the previous amendment. Cr. Barnitt moved a third amendment that the Waihi riding, which was in debit by £679, have its rates increased by l-Bd. Cr. Phillips seconded. He said the council could not allow Urenui a decrease. The chairman said he did not see how the principle was right. If Waihi’s rate were raised why should not Mokau’s be raised.

The amendment was defeated and the motion was carried, to be confirmed at the next meeting, that the rates be struck as last year.