The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1883. COUNTY EXPENDITURE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1455, 13 August 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1883. COUNTY EXPENDITURE.

k our issue of May 17th last will be found a fairly full report of a speech delivered by Mr G. Beetham, M.H.R.,, to ,his constituents in the Theatre Royal, Masterton. A. perusal of tliis speech would dispel many of the illusions now current on the county question, and it is singular that some persons who muat have boen present on the occasion to which we refer have failed to grasp the facts which wore then put very plainly before them, In this speech Mr Beetham went very carefully into' county finance. The following, according to our report, was his estimate of county revenue for the current year:— Rates .. .. .. .. .. £2821 i Salauce of an unexpended (iovornmentvote .. .. 010 £3760 Beyond these items there were of course some smaller revenues, such as licensos, but these were the main sources of income. The. estimated expenditure for the current year was as follows Repairs and maintenance of roads .. £3618 Levies under the Itoada and Bridges Conatruotisn Act,, ~ 243 Interest oil loans .. .. .. 175 To be paid to Masterton Road Board 400 Working expenses ~ .. ~ 300

£4736 It will ( be noticed that the estimated expenditure exceeds the estimated incomo, and to balance tlim Mr Bketham suggested that a less sum than £3GIB must be spent on repairs and maintenance, The point on which many settlers seem to be hazy is working expenses £3OO. They ask, does not Mr King get £450 a year and Mr Moore £250, beside the salaries of the assistants of the former ? The explanation of the apparent contradiction is a very simple one, The County spends something like' £20,000 of Government money, besides its own revenue of say £4OOO. The lion's share of the Engineer's and Clerk's salaries is charged agaiust the £20,000 of i Government money, and. not against tlie £4OOO of County revenue. We call, special at-, tention to Mr Brethaji's figures because he was in a position to speak with authority, and his statement made three months ago has never been challenged or controverted. Unless it can be shown to be in error settlers must accept it as representing the true facts of the ease, and discard the idle rumors now afloat as to. County finance. If the County only expended £4OOO a year—the amount of its owii revenue —it would be absurd to employ an Engineer at' £450 and' a Clerk at £250, because working expenses would take half the receipts, We submit, however, that in expending .£20,000 of Government money, as well as £4,000 bf its own revenue, the Country requires a well-paid and efficient staff, The arrangement which now exists is a very beneficial one, The County, had an efficient staff, and this staff only costs it about £3OO a year, the balance of salaries being paid out of the Government votes. We hope settlers will yet recognise the propriety of letting well alone. . .Out of the £24,000 spent not £2,005 comes out of the pockets of the settlers, How" is it'that tht Middle Island.land.iß_worthJ.fty.percentmor.B than landinthe Wairarapal Isit not becauseit is better opened-up with'-roads 1 Now we have a chance to get the Wairarapa opened up are we to tjhrow

it up because an intelligent county elector has to pay five, shillings per annum as a county* rate, When a sura like £20,000 is being spent on roads in the Wairarapa we assert*.that land in every part of the v districfc must, rise in value, Londowners will absolutely make a large profit out of the paltry rates they pay in the enhanced value of their properties, We know that a greiit'inany"of our reader's"aif sWabofitT paying so many rates; ;but if;everyone; of them were unanimous in opposing the County rate, which is not the case, for while some grumble at italmost asmany others growl .at therßoad Board rates, we should still feel it our duty,to point, out that the Wairarapa. lms been lagging behind other districts in the colony for years, and now when it is just beginning to mov'o on, it is suicidal for settlors to fall out about rates when the Government are putting'down ten pounds to their one. When the Government money comes to an end, then let us fight out tho question of County versus Road Boards, but while it is coming in freely, don't let us be foolish enough to send it back over the hill,