WAIPAWA COUNTY

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 97, 25 May 1938, Page 3

WAIPAWA COUNTY

OPERATIONS OF THE PAST YEAR REVIEWED NEED FOR NEW BRIDGES. The attached report on the activities of the Waipawa County Council during the past year was submitted by the chairman, Mr N. M. Paulsen, at to-day’s meeting:— This being the statutory annual meeting of the Council, and the end of my year of office, following the usual custom I wish briefly to review the work of the Council for the past year. By so doing I hope to give you and the ratepayers generally some idea of the work that has been done throughout the County during the year, and also the state of the finances at the 31st March, 1938. Though the income of the Council was slightly larger thaih the previous year as a result of a small increase in the rates and the consequent increase in the subsidy, the expenditure also increased, leaving the position just a little better than last year. It would have been better still if a claim of £1927, which was due from the Treasury, had come in before the books closed. There was extraordinary expenditure during the year, such as extra necessary plant whieh comprised a new Leyland lorry, a new drum winch, an electrical drill and a second 1 instalment of £4OO was paid on the ■ caterpillar tractor. A new typewriter was also purchased for the office. There was also one or two very heavy floods which caused a lot of extra expenditure, and this expenditure is still going on. We were compelled to work again on an overdraft at the bank for a portion of the year, but the interest on the overdraft shows a slight decrease to that of the year 1937. The receipts from all sources amounted to £28,366 and the total payments to £27,986. The collection of rates was very satisfactory, the figures being as follows:—General rates collected, £12,969; general rate arrears, £261; special rates, £1067; harbor rates, £1061; sanitation rates, £217. In the miscellaneous receipts the j principal items are: —Subsidy on rates, £2101; rents c ollected, £366; motor drivers’ licenses, £244; sundry ( licenses, £142; heavy traffic fees, £637; fifths, £184; refund licensing expenses, £4l; petrol tax refund, £293; hire of plant, £108; insurance claims paid, £l2; material sold, £l4; dog tax, £6B; Court fines, £3; heavy traffic fees (pool), £405; timber royalty, £337; thirds, £4B; Public Works grants, £731; Main Highways grants, £4588; contribution ranger’s wages, £sl; payments for work done, £153. The payments include the following:—Works, plant, etc.: Maintenance main bridges, £794; tools and plant, £2760; instalment caterpillar tractor, £400; new Leyland lorry, £750; holiday wages, £219; property repairs and additions, £B4; expended on reserves, £33; new drum wineh, £165; electrical drill, £l3; back pay, £18; administration, salaries and allowances, £1438; general expenses, £B9; printing, advertising and stationery, £142; legal expenses and commissions, £72; revising rolls, £22; audit fee, £45; telephone rents, £3l; Waipawa Hospital levy, £2960; traffic tallies, £101; grant to noxious weeds r inspectors, £22 10s; insurances, £157; - travelling expenses chairman, coun- j eillors, delegates, £181; interest on t bank overdraft, £B3; Coronation expenses, £65; health inspector’s salary, £9O; ranger’s wages, and tele- t phone, £182; recoverable expenditure, j £174; new typewriter, £lB 18s; rates and taxes, £4l; Pqwer Board guaran- v tee, £ls; brokerage on loans, £25; proportion Waipawa Borough Council conversion loans, £450. TELEPHONE DEPARTMENT. The telephone account showed a credit of £7lB. The subscriptions and installations amounted to £IOOS, and the interest an fixed deposit £6 15s. The amount spent on maintenance totalled £IOB4. A number of new subscribers were , connected during the year, and there are stiU others waiting to come on when apace on the lines is available. The number of subesribers on our system is now approaching 200, while we have over 700 miles of line run- - ning in each direction through the i length and breadth of the County. During the year a large amount has been spent in bringing the main lines UP to standard, and this work will still continue until all our lines have been thoroughly overhauled and strengthened. TAKAPAfiJ SANITATION SERVICE. The balance in this acoount is a little larger in credit than last year. The continuation of the service presents great difficulties, the numbers served continue to decrease owing to the installation of septic tanks, and yet the overhead charges are the same. The year commenced with a credit balance of £lO 0s 7d and finished £l9 4s 6d in credit. The receipts were £216 12s 8d and the maintenance charges amounted to £206 18s 9d. WATER-RACK ACCOUNTS. The balances in these accounts at the 31st of March were as follows : Argyll (debit), £4B 12s Id; Forest Gate (credit), £29 10s 4d; Lindsay (credit), £26 9s Bd. Mention has fes made during the year of ye-organisation and re-ad-justment of the incidence of taxation of both the Forest Gate and Lindsay systems, and several meetings of the Forest Gate water-race ratepayers have been field. These meetings have disclosed a divergence of opinion and, so far, nothing has been done to ' effect any alterations. ’ RIDINGS. 1 All the ridings finished the year / with a credit balance. W a (paw a Rid- . ing has greatly iippyoyed; its position, chiefly on account of the ex- - being much less than last t | year and a good collection of rates. , Onga Riding’s balance is slightly e less, and Clinten and Takapau Ride ings are . considerably reduced. In y the two latter ridings the. expenditure in each case a, s.teep rise. : I undetDWs Htfro iji ft possibility of- a consSJciafil o increase in the exyeudituM of the 0»e» durin e

the coming year. The balances are as follow: £ s. d. Waipawa, Cr 927 17 6 Onga, Cr 1606 13 6 Clinton, Cr 859 8 10 Takapau, Cr 276 0 8 ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. A special report has been prepared giving a complete survey of the work of this department, and this will be presented later. In accordance with the live-year programme adopted by the Council, four miles of tar-sealing work was done during' the year on the Waipawa-Pourerere, Waipawa-Onga and the Fernhill-Takapau Main Highways. The two or three rather serious floods experienced during the .year also provided a lot of extra ; work for the engineer and the outside staff. These floods left the roads in a very bad condition and there is still a iot to do before they are brought up to their former high standard. Some of the bridges in the County have outlived their period of usefulness and must be replaced—some in the near future. As there are a number in this condition, it will be a question that the new Council will have to give serious consideration, es- ■ peeially as to bow the necessary finance will be provided for the erec- . tion of bridges to replace these old ■ ones. _ i ; I wish, in conclusion, sincerely to . thank the members for their loyal r co-operation during the past year, ■ and to express my gratitude to i j the staff for the help they have so - willingly given me on all occasions. I also desire to thank the Press / representatives for their fair reports - of the proceedings at the Conmeil E meetings,