HAWERA BOROUGH RATES

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1933, Page 10

HAWERA BOROUGH RATES

LEVY PRACTICALLY THE SAME. EXPENDITURE ON SEWERS. Estimates providing for the expenditure of £26,007, against £26,707 last year, were adopted by the Hawera Borough Council last night, the increase being mainly due to the work needed at the sewer outfall, an increase in the hospital levies and renovations to buildings. To make up this amount it is proposed to levy £15,822 in rates, or approximately the same as last year (£15,428), the difference being due to the fraction of a penny in the £l. The Mayor, Mr. J. E. Campbell, said the. council would be wise to strike rates bringing in the same amount as last year. The small amount the rates might be reduced, while weakening the council’s position would not be sufficient to make any difference to individual ratepayers. If everything went satisfactorily the council should be able next year to make a sufficiently substantial reduction to benefit ratepayers. The sewer outfall Was work not contemplated, nor was the renovation of the buildings, and the borough had no control over the hospital levy. Owing to the revaluation the rate in the £1 would be higher. Conversion savings would not offset the special rate this year, if the council were wise, as an additional amount had to be met in making the adjustments. A sum of £l2OO was placed on the estimates for the sewerage system, £660 being for 24 chains of piping and the balance in case the outfall itself had to be undertaken. Provision was also made for the 5 per cent, rebate for the prompt payment of rates. A comparison of the rates proposed and those struck last year follows. The amount received and the rate in the £1 of unimproved value last year is shown in the first two columns and the estimated receipts this year and the rate in the next two columns: —

*Levied on the annual value. The actual rates will be struck at a future meeting.

1932-33 1933-34 £ d. £ d. General .... 3295 1.14 3301 1.49 Special .... 7392 2.644 7381 3.47 Added area 341 3.6 340 3.83 ’Hospital .. 1100 — 1600 4.92 ’Water 3300 4% 3200 5%