The Waipawa Mail Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1886.

Waipawa Mail, Volume X, Issue 1022, 14 December 1886, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1886.

“ In comparison with the management of “ the County of Hawke’s Bay,” says the Telegraph , in the profundity of its wisdom, “ that of Waipawa shews badly.’ This is news to us, for it is very easy to shew that the reverse is the fact. Wo may as well complete the quotation, and then wo can Bhew how completely our contemporary has misunderstood the position of affairs, He says : —“The total revenue of Waipawa for the financial year ended March 31 last was £14,665, omitting shillings and pence. It expended £9557 on public works, £2OB on cliaiitable institutions, £lOOl on management (salaries), other expenditure, £1022, and grants to ltoad or Town Boards £872. The total revenue of the County of Hawke’s Bay for the same period was £14,878. It expended £7163 on publicworks, £609 on charitable institutions, £753 on management, and £738 on other expenditure. At the date mentioned Waipawa had an overdraft of £1230, and llawke’s Bay of £422.” Now, the total revenue, as shewn in the Council’s official balance-sheet, and omitting £SOO merely held in trust for the Government on behalf of the Bush Fire Relief Fund, was £14,295 for the year ending March 31st, 1886, and the expenditure was as follows : —On public works, directly and indirectly, £10,420 0s 6d ; on charitable institutions, £2OB I s ; on salaries, £504 19s 4d, (and not £lOOl, as the Telegraphs ays) ; on other accounts, £1127 12s 9d. The Council also paid off £2,024 5s 4d off its overdraft, reducing it from £3,255 Is Bd, to £1230 16s 4«1.

It will therefore he seen that the Waipawa County Council’s affairs do compare very favorably with those of the Hawke’s Bay County Council. In the item of salaries, there is a balance of £248 0s 8d in favor of tho Waipawa County, whilst the latter have expended £3257 more on their roads, over and above what the Hawke’s Bay Council have expended. We think this is exceedingly favorable, and nothing whatever to be ashamed of. Of course we know how our contemporary has fallen into error, lie has taken tho statistical returns published by tho Government as a guide, but these are totally misleading, as anyone may see who compares them with the balance-sheet, where the items are particularised. The government statistics lump all serts of payments, including wages to surface-men, &c., which really should he shown as expenditure on roads, and call them “ salaries.” It is perhaps excusable that a mistake should have occurred, and so we shall let the 'Telegraph off easily this time. But we shall have to keep our eyes on it and seo that it doesn’t unearth any more startling facts, or alleged facts, and we hope it will have the grace to correct tho statements which it made on Saturday nighl.