RICCARTON METAL ACCOUNT OVER-SPENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18623, 27 November 1928, Page 4

RICCARTON METAL ACCOUNT OVER-SPENT.

ESTIMATES EXCEEDED, COMPLAINS COUNCILLOR

A complaint that the council was exceeding its estimates was made by Councillor R. H. Rankin at last night’s meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council. He particularly instanced the case of the metal account, which was over-spent by £447. Fie asked who had given authority for the estimates to be exceeded. The Mayor (Mr H. Manhire) said that the trouble was that the council had been doing the work too fast. Councillor Rankin : Who has authorised the over-expenditure? The Mayor: The Works Committee. Councillor Rankin denied this. The Mayor said that the greater part of the work authorised for the year had been done. He thought that there was very little to do for the remainder of the year. Councillor Rankin: The general work has to be carried on. Councillor H. Gudsell, chairman of the Works Committee, said that he had been informed by the Town Clerk that only half the authorised amount had been spent. Yet next month the clerk informed him that the amount had been over-spent. Councillor Rankin said that the Town Clerk shoLild inform chairmen of committees how they stood. Councillor Rankin: Unless we get something from the Highways Board, there is going to be a debit. The Mayor; We have gone ahead with works at a greater rate than we should have done. Councillor T. M. Ford: All this would have been obviated if we had had a balance-sheet. It was decided that a statement of the expenditure of the various committees should be prepared for the next meeting of the council.