PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 795, 19 April 1910, Page 8

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FINANCIAL MATTERS. A special meeting of Pctone Borough Council was held last evening, there beiiig present: Tho Mayor (ivlr. J. W. W - J3wan), Councillors Harding, Southgate, i'lper, \ouug, List, Jones, and Truennm. Tlie ilayor gave particulars of the gas working account, elating that tho receipts ior tho year had lioen .£8269. The gas sales through meters had totalled ■£5909, of which amount the Hutt. sales comprised .£I9OB. Coke sales had amounted to X7l'J, about ,£IOO less than the previous venr; tar, .£219; Petone street lamps, .£350; fittings, .£585. In regard to tho expenditure, the debit balance on March 31, 1909, was .£545, and tho chief items of expenditure were: Wages, ,£1701; coal, £19X8; freight .and cartage, .£606; street lighting, .£116; plant and material, .£655; now meters, iKOO; management expenses, .£303; interest .E1040; fittings, £581; total, £8193. The credit balance was therefore £575. Quoting from figures contained in the 1907 balance-sheet, the Mayor drew iA comparison of tho state of the finances in connection with the gasworks, and expressed tho opinion that they had progressed satisfactorily. The eum of £2365 had been earned by the gasworks during tho past three years. The accumulated sinking fund at the end of last ycKj in connection with the gasworks loans, had been £516, and now it would be over £600. During the past three' years the council had continually increased the plant otrfc of revenue. In regard to the 6anitary account, the total receipts bad bpen £138, and the expenditure (including £816 for wages) had been £1871. The estimated expenditure for the coming year was £1997. ■ Explaining accounts in connection with the Eastern Drainage Scheme, the Mayor said that the receipts for the year had been £73G6. The council had yet to receive £700 from the Government, and £750 was on deposit in the bank, so that tho amount still to be spent on th« scheme, was about. £1465. Ho considered that the work, for solid value,' was very much above any drainage schemes of the past. .Credit was due to the men who had worked under Mr. W. H. Cook, Borough Engineer.