BOROUGH FINANCE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XIX, Issue 6254, 25 June 1921, Page 2

BOROUGH FINANCE

RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE ■~~~ 4““MAKING ENDS MEET. BATES TO BE INCREASEDA special general meeting of the Waihi B'or'nugji Gounei'i was held in the Counc.'. 1 C hainbeis last evening, to discuss matters relating bo the borough finances with a, view To determining tho course, to be pursued to make receipts meet expenditure. Tin- Maybe (Air D. Donaldson) presided, and there were present ('uiiiieillors W. J. (Wines, LI. B. Dale, A. Barker. K. Futon. .F. Bo'bcrtson, X. J. .Moon, 11. A. Pipe. S. IT. Wal(msley, and A. Bany. 11 is Worship, in intrUliuelng the subjects for discussion, said that in tho early days ot the borough the largfi- revenue derived r.i-om the gold mining industry gave no cause tor alarm so Jar as llu- oblige 1 ions to the bank were concerned. and this very happy position, laid continued until (pule recently, when

tho gold revenue had so decreased that

it was found necessary' to closely examine the financial position. Income

from this source had now fa lion to such a low ebb Tlint tho Council was called upon to determine the conrko to bo pursued To make ends moot, and this in-

volved the question of additional rating. His Worship went on to say that i hero was a can,adorable amount to be

made up on the gas> works’account. The sanitary ai.ei.uim also showed a deficiency which it wool;! be necessary to make good. So far as he could see the abattoir account, with the aditional kill-

dig charge', would : 1 1 >ont square itself, (liming to the general account the Mayor -add that he had assessed the .revenue trom }^<>l(l cuty for the year at L'oOiH). This was >s-!i <j;litly lower than the receipts from the same (source 'ilie preceding year, hut lie wins not inclined to over-estimate Mm position. His reason was lliat Micro was no ground •hr tlie delernd-nat ion nf the ehargje levied upon idle 10.-. a-l eoiurilmt ill}* body m ((innecliun with rip. .silting scheme, 'lt was quite possible that. AA’aihi might he ealled upon (o pay up 'to .1:2,300 a.' its i oiitnbuiion to the silting account, but. in view til iespres.eiitat.-:on,s being made be was Imping that this would not he so. Kb lap as . mild be seen for the niomeut it. would 1 , appear that the revenue art-ruing to tilt' Onuieil would not ext red L'S.S.fd. Against, this bis

investigation el the borough reqniretuenls indii-at.il -Lliat expendiiru.ro would reach the vicinity of Tl I.DOO. This being so it. imis-L he quite ap]iareut to all members of the Council limit some steps

should be taken Po [dace income ou tbe level with expenditure. This meant that there .should be an all-round increased

rating charge, because an examimtiion] of ‘the various accounts ha.) shown that', tinye was no alternative. The gas (Marks ac.-auat, despite careful manageme.nf, had, ow'ng to increased (coal gone hack upwards <>;■ L'GdO, and there had lean a considerable loss on ihe sani-

vary service, the amVnuil being i'doO.

whi'<> rhe watei work's showed a. loss ol Lind, and the general account a I.ks ot 22,130. Allowing that rhe Council should increase the rale.s by 2s in the t, there would still he it deficiency on the income side.

In die .-ours.- of the Mlayor's tiralo-

moui, there were numerous inquiries by

t nel l ll n i's ol the ( -atnu-il. but if was |-o----e.igniscl idiat no otli.q- .-nurse .-nitl.l be

adopted oilier than nhat of increasing

tlie ruling eba.rges. After considerable discussion, in which ad of those prevent

look part, it was agreed that- aim ratei. he increased by 2s in the 1, whiich "‘>>uld provide increased revenue id neadv JRJDOii,

On the motion o| the .Mayor, seconded 1 hy Cr. Rohertsun. it was resolved to increase (he general ,ate to L Gd, the hospital rate to Is, ami the water rate to Is, making a udial, including the sa,mtary rate, of t, Cd in 1 h). I ] eeeuled that, the eliarge fur water to the

mining camp mie, icmaiu as at present. Ihe (jiiesfion of increasing the eliarge ks t (ui-'timerti ol ga.s was a\so fully dis--1 ,lJ "*'d ii ii/1 it was decided to increase the price Iriim S, Id to It- <!i{d p;-r 1000 foot, which will mean that the consumer "hi get 1 OL* (re,i ol gas for J, d of 1-0 feet as at prcsei.lt.

\\ lien the .Mayor twits dealing with ihe sanitary ilcjiiirlment lie 'suggested that it might he deemed wise f,i alter Urn method 0 f tJie ehargeho that of a rate, and was up opinion that a .shilling n* the L‘ tale Mould he necessary to '•over i lie cost of the service as it ‘was worked at present. [],. meminned that romo people were of ■opinion ITiirt if it 'vere Jot on contract even the prevent charge might, be lessened, but that, the vpeaker -aid nit, a matter Jhr the Council to oare.ully consider.

Or. Parker said i hat while Ig, ipiile ■PV'ed \ulh the .MayorO suggestion to increase the into he doubter* the wisdom of departing from the present, msh'"i, JJo feared that any alteration nvould he taken advantage 0 f h v propei ty-owner,s a.< an excuse (W'raising ilie rents out of proportion to Hie innieased rale. 11. 1m said, 'the. intention was that tl, t . kindWd simply wiled, the • 'inouni ef the rale I r-mi the t.eiiaiTl, tins *" regard a. ipiiie saudaermv.

1 • PalTy raise,] Ihe (plestinn us In nlmliec lb,. heiiM-liolder wlih a family v.T.o Wos compelled j, 0 have ;| kigei Ih,in a ina.ii with mi fa mil v, ivmdd noi he penalised by the altered svstein.

Ihe Mayor explained that this phni-e nl the matter had been carefully eon- , sidered. an,] cited .a.ii illustration how jtlni rating would bear upon (he nuni annuli. lie said (hat- a house which wiw let at IT (i,| week would hidily be rated( in the hodks jus Ldti per year, and I lie, rate for I lie sanil,ar\- serene on ibis beii-r would amount to \milhe.- huge prep, ,j >, , V as file,], which sin mil that the rufo would amount to a, few .shillings more than fho proi'ailing I chargos per year, j Cr, Mwu said ho was inclined lu