MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12042, 16 April 1903, Page 3

MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISES.

NET PROFIT, £378,211 PER ANNUM. The Local Government Board (England) issued on February 18th an elaborate return of 140 pages "of the reproductive undertakings carried on by municipal boroughs brought up to March 31st, 1902." The particulars given have been specially obtained from tne town clerks, borougn treasurers, or borough accountants. Tne number of municipal corporations in England and Wales (excluding. London) carrying on one or more reproductive undertakings on March 31st, 1902, as shown by the return, was 299 out of a total number of 317. The population of the 299 boroughs, according to the census of 1901, was 13,093,870, the assessable value of those boroughs, for purposes of general district rates, or other rates out of which the, general expenses of the corporations, acting as urban sanitary authorities, wer« defrayed, was, at the commencement of the year 1900-1901, £55,076,203. The summary of work done by all these .boroughs yields the following results (larger amounts are given to nearest quarter million sterling) : Waterworks—l 93 boroughs owned these ; total capital, 57 millions, borrowed capital, 56 millions; paid off, millions; average annual income, 3 1-6 millions; annual expenditure, 3 millions: annual profit, £90,128;

Gasworks.—97 boroughs :• total capital, 24 millions; borrowed, 22J millions ; paid off, millions; average annual income, 5| millions; expenditure, 5j millions; annual profit, £304,825. Electricity Supply.—lo2.boroughs; capital, 124 millions; borrowed, 11| millions; paid off, i million; income, 1 1-7 million; expenditure, 1 1-7. million.; annual loss. £11,707.

Tramways, owned and worked by corporations—29 boroughs;- capital, 8), milT lions; borrowed, 8J millions; paid off," 2-million; income, 1 1-3 million; expenditure, 1 1-3 million; annual profit, £81,904.

Tramways, owned but not worked' by corporations —16 boroughs ; capital", 1 million ; borrowed, 1 million; paid off, 5million; income, £88,000; expenditure; £71,000; profit, £17,000. Markets.—22B boroughs; capital, 6 millions ; borrowed, 5i millions; paid off, 5-million; income, 1£ million; outlay,. 1A million; profit, £99,318. Harbours, Piers, Docks, etc. —43' boroughs ; capital, 54 millions; 'borrowed. 5i millions; paid off, ; income, £379.000; outlay, £457:000 ; annual loss, £78,000. Other undertakings, including baths and washhouses, burial grounds, working class dwellings, etc. —321 boroughs;- capital, 6\J millions ; borrowed, 5£ millions; paid off, 1? million; income, £470,000; o*tky, £670,000; annual loss, £200,000. Total of all undertakings.—Capital. 121 millions: borrowed. 117 millions; paid off, 16J millions; income, 13" millions; imtliw. 12 2-3 millions: total net profit, £378,211. The return shows that takinc all concerns together, waterworks, gasworks, tramways, and markets paid, whilst electricity, harbours and docks and miscellaneous undertakings, especially the last, did not'pay-