MATAMATA COUNTY

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3045, 29 August 1933, Page 8

MATAMATA COUNTY

INTERESTING COMPARATIVE FIGURES. ROADING AND REVENUE. Interesting figures in regard to the importance of Matamata County were given by Mr P. Dec, councillor for the Te Poi riding, during an address to ratepayers. There were 130 counties in New Zealand, the area administered being 103,323 square miles, he said. The area of Matamata County is 931 square miles, or one-one hundred and eleventh of the total. ♦ln population Matamata County, with S3OO people, has one-seventy-first of the total of 591,620. Matamata has one-twenty-thifd of the population of the 32 counties in the Auckland district, the population of which totals 190,600. There were 104,644 cattle in the county, when the last estimate was made. This total was ono-tliirty-eighth of the total for New Zealand, which was given as being 4.072;383. There were 21,012 pigs, or ono-twenty-fourth of the total of 513,416 for New Zealand. This figure was only exceeded by the older counties of Piako, with 24,870, and Franklin, with 24,481. These figures relating to population and stock had bearing on the activities and responsibilities of the County Council, said Mr Dee. Dairying meant closer settlement and closer roading, while all-weather roads were in these days of motor transport the life-blood of such an industry. Wool, beef and mutton producing districts could get along with any old track to a large extent, but not so with a dairying district. Matamata \s present capital value (rateable) of £3,539,332 was one-nine-tieth of the total of the 130 counties, which amounted to £322,790,393. Figures relating to money handled wore also illuminating, concluded Mr Dee. While the county’s revenue of £15,504 from general rates was onc-sixty-eighth of the total of £1,064,799 for all counties, Matamata obtained £16,963, or one-thirty-eighth of the total of £648,567 paid out by the Main Highways Board. County Salaries Compared. Speaking on the salaries paid, Mr Dee quoted the following figures, giving the number of the staff, the salaries paid, and the percentage oT revenue, of the counties named: Per County. Staff. Salaries, contage.

The average for all counties was 5.54 per cent.

WaitOnata 14 £ 4200 0.30 Mamikau 13 3742 7.41 Franldin 10 3449 4.38 Eaglan 4 1700 4.03 Matamata 0 1.710 4.28