HAMILTON BOROUGH FINANCES.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 488, 16 September 1899, Page 3

HAMILTON BOROUGH FINANCES.

■ -♦- TO TIIK EDITOB. Sir,—Mr Dey's letter in your issue of Thursday in regard to Borough finance is very conclusive as far as it goe3. But I think he might have gone further back to demonstrate his meaning, namely, that a Is rate is inadequate to carry on the work of the Borough. I have had the opportunity of looking through the Borough accounts since the year 1889. On the 31st of March, 1889, the Borough overdraft stood ut £725 9a Id, with a public debt of £6OOO ; 31st March, 1890, Borough overdraft £726 12s Id, public debt, £6OOO ; 31st March, IS9I, Borough overdraft £1 16s 6d, public debt, £3OOO. In this year £3OOO was paid back to the Government Postal Department and £1(00 voted by the burgesses to paying off Borough and Domain overdrafts, hence the small amount of overdraft at that date. Reading these figures and the lesson they teach I have come to the conclusion that a shilling rate is inadequate to carry on tlje work of the Borougt. . At 31st March, 1892, during Mr Coates' term of office, the Board was actually in credit to the amount of £3O Us 10d. At March, 1893, during Mr Parr's mayoralty, the credit was £47 8s Id. The explanation of this was that absolutely nothing was done to keep the Borough works in a fit state of repair, leaving a legacy to future Councils. This Mr Dey and his council seem to have rectified when he took office in 1894, as at the end of the year 1895 the overdraft was £348 14s 4d. (In this CODjaction Mr Dey seems to have made a ifflfiit error in computation of time by about bix months). Otherwise his figures as stated in his letter are correct. He is quite correct in his reference that while the resourses of the Borough did not increase the liabilities did. For instance we have insisted upon having a Public Library. There are also levies for Hospital and Charitable Aid and lighting all taken out of the Is general rate, not to mention '£l6s per annum for interest. The increased cost of administering the Licensing Act alone cost the Borough on a average £25 per annum. I am, of opinion, judging by past experience and » careful looking into all possible revenue, that a one shilling rate is not adequate to the requirements of an important Borough like Hamilton.—l am, etc., Jou.v Knox, JEx-Mayor.