REDUCTION IN RATES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 138, 13 June 1931, Page 8

REDUCTION IN RATES

WANGANUI COUNTY RIDINGS TWO REMAIN THE SAME Reduction in the rates in four rid ings was made by tho Wanganui County Council yesterday consequent upon tho adoption of estimates for the current year. In the two other ridings tho rate will remain the same as last year. Mangawhero Riding. The estimates showed this riding to be in credit to the extent of £1942 at April 1, 1931. Of that amount £1597 was outstanding. It was estimated that the Government subsidy lor the current year would be £5OO and the highway subsidy £2166. A rate of id in the £ would produce £3lBO. I'he estimated general expenses were shown as £220, the maintenance metal tnd repairs to No. 48 highway £3500, side roads’ labour and general maintenance £950, and side roads’ metal maintenance £250. Provided tho total amount of outstanding rates was collected the riding was estimated to be in funds at the end of the year to the extent of £BBB. The estimates were agreed to as submitted, tho rate approved showing a reduction from lid in the £ to id in the £. Mangamahu Riding. This riding finished the past year with a credit of £1791, £BO7 10s 9d of which was outstanding. The estimated Government subsidy for the ensuing year wag shown as £340, and a contri bution amounting to £1666 was listed as being expected from tho Highways Board. On the expenditure side the estimates showed the riding as providing for £l6OO general expenses, £2500 on maintenance metal and general maintenance of No. 50 highway, £4OO on maintenance of the Wangaehu Valley Road north of Mt. View, £5OO on side roads. If a rate of £d in tho £ wa ■ struck it would produce £2075, leaving an estimated credit balance at the end of tho year, provided all uncollected rates came in, of £872.

The council agreed to the estimates as set out. adopting a rate of id in the £. Last year the rate was IJd in the £. Kaitoke Riding. The estimates revealed this riding as endeavouring to finish the year with a credit of £620. The credit balance at April 1 last was £441, but there was a sum of £533 Is 8d rates outstanding. The Highways Board was estimated to contribute £1215 during year for construction of tho Wangaehu Hill and £373 for maintenance of tho No. 1 Line. The Government subsidy was listed to result in £271. Outgoings estimated were: General expenses £B5O, construction No. 1 highway (Wangaehu) £1620; general maintcannce No. 1 highway £560; maintenance side roads £lOO. The rate last year was 14d in the £ and it was proposed to reduce it to seven-eighths of a penny in the £d. producing £1450. On the figures set out this would wind the year up with a credit of £.620. The estimates submitted were approved. Purua Riding. Although Councillor D. McGregor strenuously advocated a still greater reduction in rates than that proposed in the estimates for Purua Riding, he was unable to find a seconder, the rest of the. council holding that a drop from one penny in the £ to seven-eighths of a penny in the £ was all that the finances could stand. It was pointed out that to come as low as |d in tho £ as Cr. McGregor desired would result in a total loss of revenue of £4OO and against that had to be taken into account the fact that a porportion of the outstanding rates of £495 10s would probably not bo collected. The riding was shown as finishing last year with a credit of £270. It expected to re ceivo £298 in Government subsidy this yea. and a contribution of £lOOO from the Highways Board. The estimated general expenditure was shown as £950, metal and general maintenance of No. 5 highway £l5OO, and side roads £450. A rate of seven-eighths of a penny would produce £1622 and the estimate was that the riding would finish the year with £290 in hand. It was decided to approve of the estimates as they stood. Cr. McGregor asked that his vote be recorded against this decision. Kaukatea Riding. Cr. A. Rice considered that some reduction should be made in the rate in this riding. The estimates tabled provided for the same rate as last year, Id in the £. The riding was shown as coming to the end of last year with a credit balance of £379, but there was a sum of £lB9 12s rates outstanding at that time. The Government subsidy was expected to produce £230. The estimated general expenses were set down at £720, maintenance of all roads £550, maintenance metal all roads £325 and bridge repairs £220. A penny rate would produce £l4OB and this would allow the riding to see the year out and have £202 in hand. It was decided, on the motion of Cr. D. McGregor, seconded by Cr. Rice, that the rate be reduced to seveneighths of a penny in the £. It was pointed out by the engineer that. Kaukatea would probably get through on that and the question of losing subsidy, which came into matters so far at the Purua Riding was concerned, did not arise in this instance. Upper Wangaehu Riding. This riding wound up at the end of March last with a debit balance of £195 and rates outstanding of £97 1.9 s fid. By leaving the rate the same as it was last year (lAd jn the £) it, was estimated that by March 31, 1932, the riding would have reduced its debit balance to £l6. It was estimated to get £63 Government subsidy and the rate was shown as produced £486. Against these two items it was estimated to expend £l7O on general expenses and £2OO on general maintenance. The estimates wore adopted without alteration. Morikau Riding. Morikau was shown as having a credit, of £269 at the end of last ye ir. Outstanding rates amounted to £l6l 8s sd. Government subsidy was estimated to produce £l2O and a rate of Id in the £, the same as lust year, would bring in £560. It was estimated to expend £325 on general expenses and £5OO on general maintenance, leaving a credit as at March 31 next of £124. The estimates were adopted as sub mitted. The clerk,. (Mr G. Darby shire) point-

cd out that in calculating the credits of each riding as at April 1 last note had to be taken of the fact that rates outstanding were included. They were shown, for the. purpose of framing the estimates, as being cash. If they were not collected then that would mean so much less revenue.