“RANGITIKEI COUNTY NOT ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST IN N.Z."

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 March 1947, Page 6

“RANGITIKEI COUNTY NOT ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST IN N.Z."

CLAIMS ADVANCED FOR BRIDGE SUBSIDY A higher subsidy than the £1 for £8 offered by the Government toward the cost of renewing bridges is being sought by the Rangitikei County Council. It is claimed that in Rangitikei there is an average of 14.62 feet per mile of road bridges compared with a New Zealand average of 12.2 feet per mile. Many of these bridges had now reached the stage where renewal must be considered.

At the February meeting advice was received that Cabinet would not agree to the proposed £1 for £1 subsidy toward the council's five-year biidge replacement plan, but the county clerk, Mr. F L. Nicol, subsequently drew up a statement showing how the Rangitikei County compared with others.

This information was supplied to Mr. P. Kearins, M.P. for Waimarino, with a request that the council’s claims be placed before the Government.

The question was again discussed at the monthly meeting on Thursday when Mr. kearins replied that he had forwarded these facts to the Minister of Works (Mr. Semple). “I am hopeful that the Minister will increase inis subsidy,” Mr. Kearins added. “This county has the largest loan indebtedness and almost the lowest total of cash assets, in spite of its size,” said Mr. Nicol. “In view of this tffe council could hardly be considered one of the wealthiest.”

Figures based on the latest volume of the local authorities hand-book showed that Rangitikei was not in a very favourable position. The rateable capital value of Rangitikei was 2.79 per cent, of the New Zealand total, but-the loan indebtedness was 3.3 per cent. The percentage of loans to capital rateable value was 2.3 per cent., whereas the New Zealand average was 1.39 per cent. “The percentage of cash assets at March 31, 1943, to capital rateable value was .27 per cent, and the New Zealand average was .586 per cent. The 1946 returns would be much worse because our general account balance went from £14,000 to £l4OO in the period,” Mr. Nicol added. •The percentage of highways to total length of roads is 18.2 per cent, for Rangitikei and 25.3 per cent, for the whole of New Zealand. This shows there is not an equal distribution of Government subsidies.” So far as the Government subsidy on general rates was concerned, Rangitikei received the maximum of £2500, but if there were no limit the amount due would be at least £6815, even on a rate of Sd in the £. The current general rate, however, was lid. “This subsidy,” said Mr. Nicol, “is granted on the basis of 5s for every £1 of general rate collected, with a minimum of £2500, and at a rate not in excess of ?d in the £.”

In the Rangitikei County there were several Government properties which made good use of the roads, yet contributed nothing in the way of general rates. Flock House, Waiouru Military Camp and Lake Alice Mental Hospital were the three largest. “In this year alone the general rate on these properties amounts to £528 125,” Mr. Nicol added. The county clerk’s statement was adopted.