CITY ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 845, 17 June 1910, Page 6

CITY ESTIMATES.

GENERAL RATES UNCHANGED. STATEMENT BY MAYOR. NEED FOR DISCRETION. Estimates for the year woro considered by the City Council last" evening. Tho estimated receipts in the general account for the year 1910-11 were £133,387, the principal items being:—Rents, £2G,G-£7 (reclaimed land, £17,500; street widening properties, £6100); licenses, £5520 (publicans, £1900; auctioneers, £1000; dogs, £960); building fees, £1200; cemetery fees. £2050; Government subsidy,- £-150; Town Hall—recitals £360, lebtiiigs ,£2600; baths, £950; public lavatories, £260; sanitation fee, £300 (as compared with £1850 receipts during 1909-10); sinking fund commissioners' annual payment, £200; sundries, £750; fire brigade | account, rent, and services, £450; Gas Company's annual payment, £200 (as compared with £25 during 1909-10); abattoirs' working account, £3500 (as compar&l with £10S9 during the year 1909-10); general rate, at 2 l-10d. in tho £, producing £87,650; total estimated receipts, £133,387. The estimated expenditure in tho general account for the year 1910-11 was detailed as-follows:—Street works, £37,G92 155.; scavenging . and street watering, £6790; collection and destruction of refuse, £7000; drainage, £5500; fire brigade, £7000; city reserves, £6000; cemetery, £1700; street lighting, £8850; baths, £941; Town Hall: Current expenses £1300, expenses of rocitals £360; interest on loans, £3245; printing, advertising, and stationery, £1G00; sanitary services, £1400; land at Maranui, £1135; Technical School, £300; subsidy to city bauds, £200; New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, £50; salaries, £6550; miscellaneous (office expenses, cost of elections, insurances, fuel, lighting, and all sundries), £6000; Zoo, £1000; maintenance of city conveniences, £400; payment of account, Willis Street purchase (Messrs. Duthie and Co.), £1227; public health, £250; abattoirs' working account, £3500; interest on loans chargeable to general account—Street-paving loans: £55,000 at 4 per cent, and charges £2225, £3575 at 4* per cent. £163, £10,000 at 4$ per cent. £-151; street-widening loan, £120,600 at i per cent., £4800; consolidation loan (3-sths to general .account), £2800; overdraft loan, 1897, £4i,000 at 4 per cejit., £1264; destructor loan, £20,000 at 4 per cent., £800; Te Aro reclamation loan, 1897, £3550 at per cent., £151; horso tramway loan. £20,000 at 4 per cent., £800; city works loan, £40,000 at 4 per cent., £1600; Hunter Street endowment loan, £16,500 at 4 per cent-., £660; Willis Street and Chetv's Lane 'widening loan, £2070; interest on overdraft, £1000; sinking fund chargeable to general account, street-widening loan, £120,000, at 1 per cent., £1200; street-paving and Town Hall loan, £105,000 at 1 per cent. £1050, £25,375 at 1 per cent. £253 155., £15,354 at 1 per cent. £153 10s.; portion of tho consolidation loan, 3-sths of £2000, £1200; city works loan, £40,000 at 1 per cent., £100; destructor loan, £20,000 at 1 per cent., £200; Hunter Street endowment loan, £16,500 at 1 per cent., £165; total estimated expenditure, £133,387. OTHER ACCOUNTS, The estimated receipts from the water rate were £36,669, made up by the following amounts:—Rate at 2} per cent., annual value, £22,729; water to Harbour Board, £4600; water to Government, £1950; water to public, £5500; repayments,. £800; interest on deposits, £1090; total, £36,669. ' \ The expenditure proposed in the estimates was as follows:—Labour and material and other works; £9000; salaries, £3700; printing, advertising, office expenses, and stationery, £2400; interest on loans: Wainui waterworks loan and charges, £130,000 at 6 per cent., £7SSS; consolidation loan, 2-sths to waterworks account, £1866; waterworks loan, 1897, 4i per cent, on £5290, £238; water supply improvement loan, 4 per cent, on £190,000, £7600; Northland and Wadestown water supply loan (£22,550 at 4 per cent.), half-year s interest, £451; sinking fund: Water supply improvement loan, 1 per cent., £1900; consolidation loan (2-sths of £2000), £800; estimated excess of receipts, £826; total estimated expenditure, £36,6G9.

Hospital and Charitable Aid, Estimated receipts:—Kate at 2Jd. in tho ifi on annual value, producing ,£9S9I. ' Estimated expenditure—Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, jCB7Bi2 18s.; credit balance,' J5llOB 25.; total, JE9S9I. A note is added that a rate of 2d. would produce .£8792, and. that a new hospital (to be provided this year) would cost £5487 19s. City Improvements Loan. In regard to the rate for interest and sinking fund on the city improvements loan of .£IOO,OOO the estimated receipts from a rate of l-sd. in the £ on the unimproved value would be .£7020, tho items o£ estimated expenditure beingInterest i and charges, ,£OO6B sinking fund, .£700; cost of collecting rate, -£250; total estimated expenditure, J27018.

Sanitation Loans. The rate of 7-2Gd. in the £, on the unimproved value, for interest and sinking fund on the sanitation loan of ,£IGS,000, was estimated to producn .£9122, tho estimated cxpendituro being: —Interest and cliarges, .£7508; sinking fund, £1050; cosl of collecting rate, .£250; total, £9108. To provide £1325 interest and charges upon the sanitation loan of £33,000, it was estimated that a rate of l-2Gd. in th<> £ would produce £13-10. Consolidation Loan. It was estimated that a rate of l-10d. in tlin £ for portion of the interest on the consolidation loan of £200,000, would produce £3455, and relieve the general account to that extent. Melrose Improvements Loan. A rate of l-3d. in the £, for interest and sinking fund on the Slelrose linpioveiuents Loan of was estimated to produce £1883, tho expenditure being estimated at £ISI2 10s. ; interest on loan, £1507 10s.; sinking fund, £335. Library. Estimated receipts in the library account: Subscriptions, etc., £710; rato' of 1-lSd. in the £, £3220; total, £3930. Estimated expenditure: Working expenses, .£3530; museum expenses, £400; total, £3930. Drainage Loan. A rate of 5-7 d. in the £ for interest and sinking fund on the drainage loan of £100,000 (part Melrose district), was estimated to produce £5100, the estimated expenditure being: Interest aud charges, £1045; sinking fund, £1000; total, £5015. RATES FOR YEAR.' The Finance and Property Committee recommended that the rates for tho current year be fixed as under:— General rate, 2 l-10d. in tho £ on tho unimproved value. Water, rate, 2;} per cent, on the annual value. Hospital and charitable aid rate, 2}d. in the £ on the annual value. Rate for interest and sinking fund and city improvements loan, l-3d. in the £ on the unimproved value. Rate for interest and sinking fund, sanitation loan No. 1, 7-2Gd. in the £. Hate for interest and sinking fund, sanitation loan No. 2, l-2Gd. in the £. Rate for interest on portion of consolidation loan, l-10d. in tho £. Library rate, l-13d. in the £. l-3tl. in the £ (on Melrose ward only) for interest and sinking fund on Melrose improvements loan. Rate for interest and sinking fund on outlying districts drainage loan, 5-7 d. in tho £. The Reserves Committee reported that (hey had reduced their estimate for tho reserves allocation for tho year to £GOOO, and submitted estimates of the essential works as follow:— Estimated receipts, £"50. Estimated expenditure for ordinary services, £5000. Estimated special expenditure was set out as follows-.—Newtown Park: Fencing and planting shrubbery, Roy Street, £100; other works, £10; total, £140. Itotunical Gardens, .C2GO. JCclburne Park, improvements and extending ground, .£SO. l)uppa Street, £150. Anderson Park, funcing £10(1; other improvements £107; total, i X 207. Thorudon Quay slope improve-

ments, .£43. Kilbirnie Reserve, improvements, <£100. Brooklyn Reserve, improvements (late Baldwin's lease), .£SO. Grand total, «£GOOO. THE MAYOR'S STATEMENT. The following financial statement was made by the Mayor:— "A perusal of tho estimates shows clearly that there is a necessity for a most careful administration in tho coming year. No works of an extravagant nature or works which are not absolutely commitments can be entertained, and it behoves-every member of the council to carefully sorutiuir-e applications for grants beyond those already earmarked for expenditure, before any future recommendations or even provisional commitments are made. One of the chief points that strikes on** in inference to the financial position of tho corporation is the Tremendous outlay in the past upon reserves, aud the shortness of money for, necessary street works. Obligations on behalf of the city have been incurred by the incorporation of the boroughs of Melrose, Wade.stown, and Northland, and these obligations fo bo j carried out require an expenditure far j beyond the annual appropriation. I Reduction of Reserves Estimates. "It is a noteworthy fact, and one | worthy of the most serious consideration, i that the money allocated this year for 1 expenditure through the city engineer's department is practically the same, amount as was granted for street im- j provemetits prior to the inclusion of ' Melrose, Wadestown, and Northland within lite city, and though requirements of the city, consequent upon the wood- j blocking operations which have been car-' ried out', may be said to be to. a cer- i lain extent minimised, the ordinary and I proper demand of the suburbs for rea- I sonablc road improvements is a serious \ proposition. Through the construction of reserves on town belt properties, the j possibility of obtaining revenue for ex- ■ penditure incurred is, the present ! law, exceedingly remote, and though the . cxpt-ndituie incurred cannot be said to be recurring, at tb« same time, as far as , revenue-producing ussets are concerned, they may be marked down as negligible quantities. Unless legislation is introduced to grant local authorities further j powers in regard to the imposition of I charges for use the annual cost of maintenance and upkeep will continue with- i out the property increasing its revenue. "The. thanks of the council aru duo tq ! the Reserves Committee for realising this position, and for a general reduction in the reserves estimates to meet the expenditure on necessary street works, thus enabling the engineer to carry out this year's programme. "Tho obligations of the city for ex- : penditure on loan moneys already raised I an- well realised, ami will be vigorously pushed on, while the construction of tho Wadestown tramway and necessary drainage connections will be expedited to absorb a. considerable portion of the labour available for such classes of work. "There will be no increase this year in the general rates. Hospital and Charitable Aid. "My committee had hoped that it would be possible this year to reduce the hospital aud charitable aid rate, but owing to the claim for the new hospital of £5487, which must be met this year, that will be impossible. The claim for the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the year is £8782 18s. The rate propqsed, which is the same as last year, will' produce £9891, or .£llOB 2s. .more than is required for hospital and charitable aid this year; the reduction being due to the economies effected under the new Act. The claim for the new hospital will, therefore, cause -a large overdraft at the end of the ye?ir unless a very substantial increase in the rate is levied. My committee = propose not to increase the rate to meet this extra expenditure, but to retain the rate at its present figure, and .utilise the surplus obtained (£llOB 25.) for the purpose of partially liquidating the claim, and urges that a similar procedure bo followed during the next four years. Improvements Rate Restored. "Tho rate for interest and sinking fund on the city improvements loan of £100,000 has for tho last four years been fixed at l-10d. in the pound on the unimproved value. This low rate was consequent upon tho existence of a surplus in the fund, which the Auditor-General considered must be utilised as quickly as possible in payment of the interest and sinking fund. The surplus, having now been so ,utilised, it is necessary to place the rate on its ordinary and' regular basis in connection with the unimproved value, an'd it is consequently necessary to restore it to such a figure as will produce the net amount required. It will, however, be seeoi that no actual increase takes place because tho amount of the interest, and sinking fund is a pledged commitment. "There is another small matter of difference between this year's rate and last year's rate. This is the rate for interest and sinking fund on the suburban drainage loan of £100,000. Last year this rate was 2-sd. in the pound on the unimproved value. This year it is 5-7 d. in the pound. The explanation is that last year only half a year's interest and 'sinking fund was required, as the first year's interest on tho loan, which expired halfway through last 'year, had to be paid out of the loan itself. The full amount is required this year. The Dust Nuisance. "With the advent of the new tar sprayer, which is to hand, ihe city engineer hopes to considerably minimise tho growing dust nuisance, and, furthermore, with the large numbed of electric Light connections and the house sewerage connection.l? following tho extension of the (fraina.ge scheme, the city at the end of the ensuing 12 months will have shown considerable progress. Wainui Main. "It will be necessary to face the problem at once of tho duplication of tho Wa.inui-o-mata main. This work can only be done out of borrowed money, and it is a recommendation by the Finance Committee that tho 6um of £100,000 be immediately raised for the prosecution of this very necessary work, and for carrying out extensions in the outlying districts as. may be necessary. The subject has be?n too well discussed to need recapitulation here. "In conclusion, your committee hopes, with the closest attention to detail in civic management which the position undoubtedly demands, that the next 12 ; months may show to the public that the i wisest discretion care lvavo been 1 exercised." Tho Mayor moved that the estimates bo j approved, and Councillor LUke seconded, j In reply to a question put to Dr. Frost, the Mayor said that,.the sanitary rate for the outlying districts was not ' increased. The apparent increase was i due to the fact that the rate was to be struck for a period of twelve months and not for six months, as previously. Councillor Frost remarked on the fact that portion of the loan was lying on fixed deposit. He considered that tl*e whole of the interest should not bo charged on suburban ratepayers. The Mayor explained that a large part of the money would be expended shortly. Several other councillors agreed that the earnings of the unused portion of the loan should benefit ratepayers in the districts interested. Councillor Luke m'oved that, later on, tho earnings from the loan should be. credited to the. loan. The Mayor remarked that the small amounts earned so far had been spent in tho outlying districts. Councillor Luke's motion lapsed, and the estimates and rates were approved.

Tenders arc invited by tile boroush of OnehUDga lor the construction of a complete sewerage sj-strai for, tho borough. Cartur aud Co.. Cuba Street, adv«rti6c great reductions on millinery, costumes and jackets, also a special l s , window. ' Sufferers from rheumatism are advised by advertisement in another column ' to write at once to Mr. w. \\ r . Parlte llvrlle Crescent, Wellington, agent for Magic Foot Drafts. It is notified in another column that there are vacancies in the Battalion Baud for trombone?, baritones, and sopranos, Mr. F. de .T. Clere, architect, invites tenders for making additions to a house at the Lower Ililtt. Messrs. Dalgcty and Co., Ltd.. and Kcw Zealand Loan 'and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd., will hold a stock sale at Levin on Friday, Juno 24, at 11.20 a.m. A special announcement by ,Mr. \Y. Coilnun. shot) and office litter, appears in this issua-