BOROUGH COUNCIL ENDS THE YEAR WITH A DEBIT BALANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 June 1948, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL ENDS THE YEAR WITH A DEBIT BALANCE

(0.C.) Marton, June 9. After commencing the year with a credit balance in the general account of £267 12s lid, the Marton Borough Council concluded the year with a debit balance of, £1,038 12s lid. The final balance on all operations showed a debit balance of £BB 19s lid. This was stated by the town clerk, Mr. C. C. McDonald, in a report, submitted to the monthly meeting of the council tonight, on the borough finances. In dealing with various services of the borough, Mr. McDonald’s report stated that the library was thoroughly re-organised and the council adopted the Government’s Country Library Service with verysatisfactory results and nn excellent service was now available to residents. Revenue from all sources amounted to £303 11s and expenditure £649 19s 6d. Reporting on the cemetery, the report stated that the year commenced with a debit balance of £174, 10s 3d and wages amounted to £2OB 14s 7d. Revenue, including a grant of £25 from the Rangitikei County amounted to £95 5s and the general account was required to find £295 3s sd. Maintenance of Marton Park, including the motor camp, amounted to £463 18s 4d, wages accounting for £364 17s sd. Revenue totalled £l2O 17s 6d (camping fees £3O 17s, Automobile Association grant £5O and percentage of gate takings £4O. A total of £169 19s lid was spent on Centennial Park, the preparation of the ground costing £69 7s lOd and grass seed £57 19s 4d, being the main items. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining adequate supplies of materials the council was unable to complete the full amount of work authorised on highways. Maintenance work was carried out on Station Road from the bridge to Rica Street and patching work on Curl’s Bridge-Upper Tutaenui highway. On Turakina-Cliff Road highway. High Street from Wanganui Road boundary to Bowen Street was re-sealed with plant mix with excellent results. The total cost of the work carried out amounted to £925 7s lOd. A highways subsidy amounted to £691 17s 9d while the council’s share of the cost amounted to £233 10s Id. The allocation of heavy traffic fees from the pool amounted to £495 19s 9d

Report Of Town Clerk To Council

and this amount was applied in the maintenance of streets. The council was unable to proceed with the construction of its kerb and channel footpath programme owing to cement being unavailable for this purpose. Work on footpaths was confined to patching and a limited amount of sealing of existing footpaths costing £137 10s Bd. The total hospital rates collected amounted to £1951 ss, the Wanganui Hospital Board’s levy being £lBOO 18s 4d. The levy for the current year amounted to £1842 but the increase of £42 could be met and a reduction made in the rate collected for the current year due to a credit in the account of £l5O. The Town Hall commenced with a credit of £6OO 8s 7d, revenue received during the year amounting to £1056 16s _Bd. Expenditure amounted to £898“ 14s 6d of which wages and general maintenance amounted to £412 8s 8d and loan charges £238 14s 6d, painting £93 15s, alterations £75. A sum of £3OO was transferred to the general account and the year’s operations closed with a credit balance of £458 10s 9d. The total rate collected from all sources amounted to £11,782 17s Id. The total rates outstanding for the years 1945-47 amounted to £547 18s sd. The sum of £lB9 3s 4d was collected during the year and rates reinstated and collected amounted to £4B 18s. The collection of curent rates for the year ended March 31, 1948, was equal to 98.13 per cent. Total arrears for the last three years now amounted to £5OB 10s Id. The Marton extension No. 1 loan of £330 was fully repaid during the year, continued the report. The final payments in respect of the £18,700 water loan and the £BBOO sewerage loan would be effected during the present financial years and a considerable measure of relief in payment of annual charges would be of great assistance during the current year. The total annual charges for the two loans for the year ended March 31, 1948, amounted to £1247 10s, whereas the final payments for the current year would be £467 10s. This reduction of £779 10s would offset the increase to be made on the general rate and would have the effect of reducing th total rates struck.