YEAR REVIEWED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20097, 2 May 1935, Page 10

YEAR REVIEWED

LEVELS COUNTY COUNCIL CREDIT BALANCE At yesterday’s meeting of the Levels County Council, Mr C. E. Kerr presented a review of the year’s work on behalf of the chairman (Mr T. B. Garrick), who was absent through indisposition. The chairman said that he had to report that a satisfactory result of the year’s operations was disclosed by the credit balance of £6795. This was a higher credit balance than the County finances had shown for a number of years, and was attributable to an increase in revenue from all sources, but particularly to the higher percentage of rates collected. The total receipts amounted to £21,639 and expenditure to £18,564, an increase in the year’s operations of £3075 —this amount, together with the balance at the beginning of the year, comprises the credit balance of £6795. Each of the Riding accounts showed a substantial credit balance. The total expenditure on ridings’ roads for the year amounted to £3867, which represented an approximate cost per mile of £l2/2/-. During the year 6766 i cubic yards of shingle were placed on the roads by Council’s lorry and hired teams and 2450 cubic yards by contract. Considerable replacement work would be necessary on a number of ridings roads during the next few years, the foundations having worn very thin. A number of roads under the £IO,OOO loan would require resurfacing. Riding Accounts The chairman said that during the year a special order was passed by the Council agreeing to abolish the ridings accounts. In future the expenditure on riding roads would be borne by the general account and the annual rates would be levied over the County as a whole and not separately in each riding. Ordinary maintenance ivork was carried out on main highways at a total cost of £2866, or a cost of £57.32 per mile. This represented a cost to the'Council of £14.33 per mile. Expenditure for the maintenance of 262 miles of secondary highways amounted to £1571 or £59.1 per mile. Construction work on the PointFairlie secondary highway amounted to £IBB. The Main Highways Board had, during the year, declared the five miles 32 chains of the Gapes ValleyPleasant Point road within the Levels County a secondary highway. The matter of constituting the Fairview road a main highway should be considered at the next meeting of the District Highways Council. The chairman added that a contract for formation, gravelling and metalling 294 chains of the unsealed lengths of the Timaru-Pareora Main Highway was completed during the year at a total cost of £7l97—cost to the Council £1799. This total cost included the charges for removal of power and telephone poles, purchase of land for deviation purposes, and other extras. The contract for sealing this prepared length of highway would be let during the next financial year. General The chairman said that a contract for tar-sealing portion of the Wash-dyke-Tekapo Main Highway (including the Pleasant Point Town District) and also portion of the Timaru-Cave main highway was let during the past financial year at a cost of £4286/13/8, but owing to delay in commencing the contract the cost of same would be borne in the financial year 1935-36. The contract was now completed, the contractor having to maintain the work until the new contract was, let for the second coat. During the year an additional sum of £220 was raised for the Fairview water supply district loan. The scheme was completed early in the year at a total cost of £IB2O, and was of great benefit to the ratepayers concerned. The amount expended on wages for the year totalled £4713, which amount was refunded by the Unemployment Board. The Council expended £674 on supervision, hire of teams, materials, etc. in connection with this work. Although there was still a fair proportion of outstanding rates to be collected, the position of the county funds from every aspect was quite satisfactory, and at the close of the existing Council’s term of office he considered the time opportune to express his satisfaction at the present position, and t>o thank the members of the Council for the support accorded him during their three years’ term of office.