WAIPAWA COUNTY

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 129, 26 May 1932, Page 7

WAIPAWA COUNTY

- Annual Meeting CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FINANCES very sound At the statutory annual meeting of the Waipawa County Council yesterday the chairman (Cr. L. Glenny) presented the following report on the year’s operations: — “In accordance with the custom which has always prevailed in this council for the chairman to present a report at the annual meeting of the council, I have prepared the following statement setting out the transactions of the council during the past year, and which I trust will give you and the ratepayers generally a knowledged of the council’s finances and also some indication of the work done throughout the county during that period. “As you all know since last annual meeting the financial depression has continued and there has been no lifting of the clouds so far. The past year has been a very trying time for the council as well as for all its ratepayers, and it has only been by most careful administration and persistent striving that we have come out on top. The position disclosed shows that we are still one of the soundest financial local bodies in the country. This is most gratifying, especially seeing that we made a considerable reduction in rates, which in some cases amounted to 23 per cent., and we got little assistance from Public Works grants, which totalled only a third of what they were the previous year. “All rates collected showed an increase, over 81 per cent, of this year’s rates being collected. This can, no doubt, be largely accounted for by the payment of the Government rebate, which proved a great incentive to prompt payment, and greatly assisted those ratepayers who could take advantage of it. In addition we collected £2074 arrears of rates. The Financial Position “The general receipts from all sources during the year amounted to £29,424, and the general expenditure to £27,602. “General rates collected amounted to £10,968, special rates £lOll, rate rates £152, sanitation rates £199, harbour rates £212, miscellaneous receipts (including subsidy on rates) £1732, rents £327, timber royalty £854, motor licenses £729, sundry licenses £123, refund petrol tax £329, contributions to roads £334, share heavy traffic fees £297, thirds £67, material sold £99. “The chief items on the expenditure side are as follows: —Expenditure on roads and bridges in the ridings £4627, upkeep of main bridges £709, administration £ll3B, tools and plant, £l6BO, printing and advertising £204, stock £341, general expenses £lO9, health inspector £lOO, ranger £167, traffic inspector £54, hospital levy £2328, repairs to property £94, legal expenses £215, land fund £5B, insurance, rates and taxes £l6O, instalment on plant £67. Most of the above expenditure items, except interest, are less than last year.

The No. 5 Scheme

“During the year we employed a number of men on relief work under the No. 5 Scheme of the Unemploy- 1 ment Board. The amount of wages paid during the period of this work was £B2B. “As mentioned at the commencement of this report the Government granted a sum to cover a rebate ot 121 per cent, on all rates paid before March 31, 1932. The sum of £1157 was remitted to ratepayers on rates paid by the date named. Under the unemployment regulations an amount of threepence in the £ had to be deducted from all wages paid by the Council. An amount of £44 was paid under this head to the Government. From now on this tax will be increased to one shilling in the £. The collection of this taxunemployment relief, and the payment of the rebate have entailed a lot of extra work on the staff.

Roads and Bridges

The roads of the County have been kept well up to standard during the year, and it is generally admitted that our roads are in splendid condition and compare favourably with roads in other localities. In addition to the ordinary maintenance of roads another coat of tar sealing has been put on the Waipawa-Waipuku-rau section of the main highway. The Takapau section has received a

double coat, making three coats in all for this section. Various parts of the Te Ante section have also been drained, refilled and tarred. ' The suspension bridge at Pendle Hill was completed during the past 12 months. Recent floods damaged the approaches, but repairs to these will soon be completed. The concrete bridge at Fletcher’s Crossing stood up well to the last two floods and we hope the bridge is now safe from further damage. A large quantity of crushed metal and river shingle was put on the different County roads during the year. They have been constantly graded, but one or two are still decidedly weak and will require attention during the present year. Telephone Department The telephone department has had a quiet year so far as construction was concerned. It was thought advisable not to embark on any new work during the financial crisis, and the funds were carefully conserved. A total of £605 was spent in maintenance. The year finished with a credit of £3OB. Some of our main lines require further strengthening, and a portion of the Kereru line should be made metallic to provide a better service. I would suggest that this work be kept in view and done as early as convenient. General As I pointed out; last year our burden of interest is a heavy one, and seeing that the Government has reduced the interest paid to us on our sinking funds and investments, it appears that it would only be fair to reduce the interest on some of the loans raised from various Government departments. Finding that wo had no further use for the money standing to the credit of the new bridges construction loan account we made arrangements and repaid the amount to the lending department at the end of the financial year. The hospital levy has not yet been decided on, but it is understood that it will be reduced. This reduction will be very acceptable in the present circumstances. I would again earnestly request those ratepayers who have not yet paid their rates to make a special effort to do so during the coming month. Any rates received before the end of June will carry the Government subsidy. By securing this subsidy both Council and ratepayers will materially benefit. The Takapau sanitation service shows a credit of £127, which is £2l better than last year’s balance. It gives me great pleasure to report that all the ridings finished the year in credit, though that of Clinton Riding is rather a small one. The credit balances at 31st March, 1932, were as follows: —Waipawa "Riding £2579, Onga Riding £2lll, Clinton Riding £655, Takapau Riding £2364. Satisfactory Position Disclosed After hearing the forgoing details I think you will agree that the Council and the ratepayers generally are to be congratulated on the satisfactory position disclosed, especially when the general economic position of the country and the world generally is taken into consideration. In this connection I sincerely thank councillors and staff for the manner in which they have studied and carried out economies during the year which has just passed. In conclusion, I wish to express my gratitude to the members of the council for their kindly co-operation during the year. I also sincerely thank the members of the staff for their willing help, which I deeply appreciate. Thanks are also due to the representatives of the Press for their fair reports of the proceedings at the Council meetings.’’ On the motion of Cr. Paulsen a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman for the manner in which he had conducted the affairs of the County, to the staff and the Press. Election of Chairman. Mr. L. Glenny was re-elected chairman, and also the county’s representative on the District Highways Council. The folowing tenders were received for metalling contracts: —Ashcott road: C. Cassidy, 2/8£ per yard (accepted); Blair and Sons, 3/-; W. J. Maulder, 4/5; Ward and O’Connor, 4/6. Springhill road: W. J. Maulder, 4/5 (accepted); C. Mudgway, 4/9; Ward and O’Connor, 5/6.