OPUNAKE HARBOUR BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1933, Page 9

OPUNAKE HARBOUR BOARD

COLLECTION OF RATES. DISCUSSION ON FINANCES. The Opunake Harbour Board met yesterday, there being present Messrs. J. S. Hickey (chairman), J. A. Pettigrew, G. Prosser, D. Mourie, R. C. Watson, and W. A. Sheat. The principal business was in connection with the collection of rates. Last month a circular was issued to all ratepayers owing arrears of rates, pointing out that the board’s interest payment due in November next would have to be met without any assistance from the bank, and the board had no alternative but to demand payment so that it could honour the arrangement made with the deben-' ture holders. The clerk reported that while there had been a fair response there was still £566 of last year’s rates outstanding, arid over £2OO of the previous year’s. To meet its commitments the board must collect the whole of this £766 'before November. - Tire board reviewed the outstanding rates and instructed the clerk to take action, where necessary for collection. Mrs. A. E. Donnelly wrote asking for, an extension of her lease of a harbour board section on the expiration of the present lease. It was decided to grant a renewal on the expiration of the present term. A letter, was received from the Bank of New Zealand agreeing to the board’s proposals for the. liquidation of the board’s overdraft. Messrs. Ward and Dowling wrote regarding the execution of debentures held by trustees, and stated that these would be completed at an early date. The Public Trustee wrote relative to the signatures of five debenture holders yet to be obtained in connection with the sinking funds. Mr. F. W. Fish wrote asking what progress had been made in regard to the issue of the new debentures and interest coupons. It was explained that the coupons would be printed as soon as formalities were finalised. In the course of a discussion on the board’s financial position the chairman suggested that an appeal be rriade to ratepayers to pay the current year’s rates by November. This would assist the board to meet its obligations at that time. The secretary presented a report on rates that had become “statute barred,” and a formal resolution writing off the amounts was carried.