RATE INCREASES

Chronicle (Levin), 17 May 1946, Page 3

RATE INCREASES

— . — BtOSPITAL LEVY UP At a meeting of the Shannon Borough Council, held on Tuesday evening, a letter was received from the managing-secretary oi the Palmerston North Hospital Board enciosing thc board's estimates for the yeaf 1946-47. It was pointed out that the maintenance levy of £61,996 3s 9d represented an increase on last year's tmaintenance levy of £13,033 4s 5d. The secretary also pointed out that sinee 1938-39 there had been no substantial increase in the levy until this year. As mentioned in the notes on the estimates last year, in framing the estimates year by year, while levenue from the Government was Increasing through various Social Security sources and War Expenses, • the board passed on reductions in levies to the local authorities. The deficit which arose during the past year was due to adjustments in saiaries and wages, which were made during the year, and this year's increase in maintenance levies and subsidies was accounted for almost wholly by this source of expenditure.

lt was shown that the maintenance levy of £61,996 3s 9d was approximately twenty-five per cent. of the board's toual estimated expenditure. The other seventyfive per cent. was receivable from Government sources. In regard to the capital levy, the amount required by levy to meet sinking fund instalments, which total £15,100, was £7,550 and apart from this the board was levying for capitat items, £1,209 16s 8d. Every enaeavour had been made by the board to avoid any increase in capital levies this year in view of the increase which • was necessary in the maintenance J requirements. The board had | deferred wherever it was possible • capital expenditure items for whicii j it was not accustomed to borrow | moneys, and were it not for tne ! fact that as a result of the Otaki ' fire the board required from ordini ary capital revenue altogether j nearly £4,000, the additional capital ! levy could have been avoided this ; year. j The managing-secretary pointed i out that the board desired to ! assure the council that members had given their full consideration | to the present position, and that j the increases made this year were | in the circumstances unavoidable. ! The levy for the Shannon Borough , for the 1946-47 year would be £318 14s lld, as against £247 11s Od last year.

The finance committee of ;the council reported that owing to the extra hospital levy it would be necessary for the committee • to increase the hospital rate from jjd to ll-16d in the £ this year. > Other cxtra rates this year woUld be the Manawatu Catchment Board rate of l-14d in the £ and the Water Supply Loan, 1946, which was required to repair fiood damage at> the water supply intake. This loan would rcquirc a rate of £d in the £ pcr year.