COUNTY FINANCES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 50, 8 May 1942, Page 5

COUNTY FINANCES

VERY SOUND CONDITION SUBSTANTIAL ASSETS In presenting the annual balance sheet and statement of the County Council's accounts for the year ended March 31, 1942, the County Clerk (Mr C. G. Lucas) received the congratulations ol' the council on tlu> continued sound position of the finances in spite of the ddficulties imposed by the war period. The lengthy statement showed that Liquid Assets (including unpaid rates and outstanding accounts) and: cash, stand at £18,7(57 os Id a reduction of £287(5 lis (Id. The reduction reflected the reduction made in the general rate and amounts due to the council had been reduced from £(5159 Os to £2872 18s Bd. The item of £2872 18s 8d did not include native rates. Although the accounts showed a reduction of £2i87(5 lis the position was still better than that which obtained at the 31st March 1911 when the council's finances were in a very sound position. The opportionment of the rate lor year ended 31st March 1942 as between. European and Maori is: European £24,048 1 2 Maori 4,784 14 11 £28,832 19 1 The European rate includes Galatea Crown Hospital and General Rate £481 15s I.od, and the Maori rate includes the Ruatoki rate of £1271 13s 2d. Of these rates the percentage collections were-: European 95.48 per cent (91.56 per cent) and Maori 34.18 per cent (32.19 per cent) Total rate collections were £20.812 7s 7d, being European £24,001 17s lOd and Maori £2810 9s 9d. It was nottid that the total European arrears amount to £130(5 lis 8d of which £1131, 10s 3d applies to the year ended 31st March 1942, and £175 Is 5d to all previous years. The native rate collection totalled £2810 9s 9d which is slightly below the previous year's figure, £2871 14s Id. Through the non sale of the maize, Mr Stewart's native rate collection was not as high as was anticipated. On behalf of the Land Drainage Department, Mr Stewart's collections remitted from the office totalled £111(5 4s 10(1.

Government funds received were £8781 15s 2d.

Licenses: 6179 licenses were issued, of which 2201 were drivers' licenses, 840 heavy traffic licenses, and 3000 dog licenses. The receipt , in respect of these licenses 'was £4/68 7s 5d (£5939 15s Id) and, the council would appreciate the volume of | work in this department in the issue of these licenses and also the considerablc checking up necessary to ensure that as few as possible make default ill the payment of their ( license foes. The heavy traffic li- { cense fee net was £3170 0s sd, which , figure it is rather surprising to iind, is"only £63 13s 2d below that of tlie previous year. E.P.S. Receipts on account of 15.P.5. medical supplies were £223 6s (id. Expenditure was, medical supplies £171 lis 3d, general E.P.S. expenditure £100 9s Id. On account of the medical kits, which were put up by Dr Applebv, there is due about £70. Subsidy yet to be claimed from the National Service Department amounts to £88 lis Id, of which £2!) 13s Id will be a credit to the medical funds, and £58 18s 3d to general E.P.S. expenditure. Timber Royalties: On all roads the ■"cartage of timber royalty" receipt was £703 3s (£O2l 13s 2d), and the timber rale £158 7s 10d (£179 12s 6d). The expenditure ol the following balances maintenance timber royalties account should receive early attention: Minginui Road £13 9s, 1c TekcnFort Galatea Road £59 13s fid; Fenton's-Mt. Tarawera £28 6s lOd. Stock: Purchase of stock, which does not include workshop and plant stocks, amounted to £1633 lis 7d (£895 is 8d). Interest Accounts: The credit in the interest Account from £3127 (is 4d to £3599 8s 3d. 1 anticipate that the council will approve of the reduction of the Conversion Loan Interest Rate by *sd. Gravel Accounts: £310 17s 2d (include administration expenditure £22 10s). was expended on the winning , of .Malafa gravel and the gravel receipt was £354 17s (id. The accumulated credit in this account is £82! 9s Id. Pekatahi gravel expenditure was £3903 2s sd. This includes purchase of a Trackson High Shovel . £2020, winning of gravel £1750 2s 5d , and administration £125. The inj come for the year was £2136 19s Id. The opening credit in the account was £975 18s lOd and the closing | debit £32 9s id. (Continued in next column)

Halls: There is accumulated credit < Awaken Hall Account of £56 3s 7d. and Manawahe Hall Account including credit in the Interest Account £94 :5s .Id. The Manawahe Hall Repayment Loan is in debit to the extent of £199 Is 7d. Indications: are that this debit will be liquidated within three years. Taneatua Hall Account reduced the debit from £590 Mis 3d to £53(5 lis 9d. The lease of the hall at £104 per annum was for a live year period, commencing the Ist October 1937. Water Supplies: Ola account of the Kdgecumbe Water Supply a debit balance £519 10s lOd is shown. In regard to the Matata Water Supply there is a debit in the account of £2(52 9s lid. Of thisi debit £250 13s 3d representing pipes purchased from Kidd Garrett and Co will be transferred to the Relative Loan Account . Public Debt: There is a reduction in the net Public Debt from £79,186 Ms to £77,311 -is Oil- Accumulated Sinking Funds are not deducted from the foregoing total and such amount to £556 Mis 6d. The statement concluded: The .year just closed, lias been in every way a most trying one and I am pleased Lo report that your staff has .met the ever increasing demand, on it, cheerfully. The work on behalf of the Patriotic Zone Executive and the Whakatane County and Borough [ntcr-zone Committee has been executed with zeal. Furthermore there has been an ever increasing volume of work on account of oui L.P.S. Organisation. However, as a result of'the war, the increased volume of clerical work is not particular to this office and I know the council does appreciate it is receiving fiom its clerical staff whole hearted cooperation. I would like to make this ; the opportunity of recording my appreciation of the indications of confidence and goodwill, which the council has from time lo time, expressed. ! Also I desire to thank the ActingEngineer for his co-operation.

In moving his congratulations the chairman, Mr W. A. McCracken, said that he hoped councillors realised that the balance of £18,500 was earmarked to replace plant which will be needed as soon as the war ended, and which was unprocurable at present. The report was most sfati'sfactory and reflected the great' est credit on the clerk and the office staff.