LYTTELTON FINANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11207, 13 October 1914, Page 7

LYTTELTON FINANCE.

COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT. . A t the meeting of tlio Lyttolton Borough Council last evening, the town clerk (Mr L, A. Stringer) laid before tho councillors a very comprehensive and detailed (statement, showing tho position of the borough's funds up to September 80, 191-1 Tho estimated revenue and expenditure were also attached, tho latter being shown herewith in parentheses. In doaung with the general expenditure, tho return showed that for tho hall-year administration amounted to £OO7 4s dd (£477 10s), hospital and charitable aid £ll6 8s (£ll6 8s), estates £IBO 3a lid (£155 10s), abattoir £331 Is 2d (£250), purchase land Corsair Bay £BOO, band concerts (£2O), sanitation £B9 15s 3:1 (£01), stables £292 13s 4d (£ls/5 6s 8d) including twelve months' horso feed, general maintenance and labour £IOB3 12s 3d (£1069 lis), material £457 5s 7d (£300),. contingencies —horses £93. mud cart £36, Domain Board £23, Empire Defence Fund £IOO and sundries £64 14s 2d". The report also stated that the expenditure on the_ general as a. whole, was satisfactory. The provision for contingencies was overdrawn to the extent of £216 14s 2d, while further provision had to be mado for £350, being the amount allotted to tho Sumnor-Lyttelton Road. In connection with the transharbour settlement at Diamond Harbour, tho expenditure on tho loan account to September 30, 1914, was as follows: Land purchase £7OOO, surveys £B9- 12s, administration and sundries £617 12s 2d, recreation ground £255 17a 3d. renovating (house and grounds) £735 4s Bd, ferry boat (purchase account) £360 10s, water £155 16s Bd, reading £l2 lis, drainage £172 Is 3d. clearing and general improvements £146 12s 4d; total £9545 17b 4d, leaving a credit balance on the loan account of £3454 2s Bd. The revenue and expenditure for the perioded ending September 30 were as follows:—Hostel, expenditure £973 lis 3d, revenue £(;58 18s Id; furnishing, expenditure £777 5s 6d; ferry service £572 5s Id, revenue £2ll 13s"; interest, payment £325, receipts £154 lis 8d; orchard and garden, expenditure £lO2 19s lOd, revenue £l7 17s lOd; potato crop, 1913-14, expenditure £469 4s Bd, 1914-15 £229 15s 7d, revenue to date £l6 "Os Fd. The statement showed a total deficiency of £2391 0s 7d, less a credit to capital (furnishing) of £777 5s sd, leaving a balance of £1613 15s 2d. _ On the gasworks account, the expenditure was estimated at £1765 17s. but' the actual sum spent was £2459 18s 61, leaving a deficit of £724 Is 6d. Manufacture accounted for £537 8s 9d; coal £852 4s 6d; maintenance £346 lis 3d; lighting £IOB 4s 6d; fittines £l2B 7s 2d, and plant £517 2s 4d. Mention was made of tho fact that "in the gasworks estimates no provision had been made for-plant, as it was originally intended to raise a loan for the extensions. Tlie output of the works had considerably increased' in proportion to, the expenditure. The statement also showed that some heavy expenditure had been incurred in connection with the waterworks. The estimated •expenditure was £I4TS 4s 3d, but £l9lß Is Sd had actually been spent, the principal items'of expenditure being:—Salaries and wages £736 0s 6d, maintenance and. renewals £303 7s 3d, and plant £7Ol 5s Itid, including £137 for well sinking. The revenue, however, on the water account was about £SOO below expectations. The district fund account at the end of the half-year showed a debit balance of £14,001 5s sd. including temporary loans of £7903 14s Id,'and- transfers from other loan accounts £SOOO. Against this sum were payments on behalf of the Diamond Harbour, stables and nubile works loans, which reduced the deficiency to £12,410 12s 6d. .