PERIOD OF DEPRESSION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2135, 29 April 1914, Page 3

PERIOD OF DEPRESSION

FAST THREE YEARS

REVIEW BY MAYOR OF KAROta j Residents of Karori wore invited 1o a suecting lickl in the Council Chambers at U o'clock last night, to hear a sta.tcnicat from tho Mayor (Mr. C, Cathie), who is retiring l'rom oll:ic<; after having occupied tli« Wayoral chair for the past three years. ■ Very few residents at-, tended. ~■ Tlio Mayor made a few remarks on tlio affait-s of the borough tlttriiig hia terra of office. Tho poriod uud«r review, he said, had been one of great depression in tho property market; and the borough had suffered severely. At the time Northland' was added to Greater Wellington, in 1909-1910, the valuation of the borough was £001,047. It now stood-at £00V.713, a decrease of £93,53-1, or 15J per cent, over ail. As all rates were assessed on the unimproved vnluo, the riso in tlio amount of rates struck had been considerable, although the actual amount that could bo collected was less than usual in tho general rate and the tramway rate had t<) be assisted in part out of revemw. Thus the RciKtal rate, at 2|d., or 3-liid. advance oji the previous year, actually produced a smaller amount by £1.87. Other rates showed corresponding ilactuations. The Mayor then gavo a comparison of rates levied in 1912-1913, with those of 1913-1914. as on a property of £100, .showing a total increase of 3s. Sd. Tho total receipts for the past year were '£6345 fls. 9cL and tho expenditure £6773 3s. M., leaving a dfibit balance of £432 13s. &1. Outstanding amounts aad ructnl and concrete blocks in hand amounted to £371 us. 2d., making tho net debit balanco £01 Bs. 4d. As the year began with a debit balairew of £527 6s. Bd., the position was very satisfactory. Tho credit for this was due to the Public- Works Committee, over which Councillor Bum presided, and to the valuable work done by the engineer. The Mayor next referred to the heavy calls m-ulo for Hos"piW and Charitable Aid, and the increased rato rendered necessary thereby. After reviewing the tramway affairs during the throe years past. lie 'isx?)laii)ed that out «f £2960 10s. lid. surplus for that period, the sum of £1000 had been used to relievo ratepayers, and the balance had been curried, to the tramway coutii'igcnoy account, which now stood at £3180" 11s.; an increase of £1870. While on tho subject of trams, lie protested against tht! treatment the borough had received sinco t\w Tramway Board of Manage* meiit came into existence, and detailed tho unavailing attempts that had been made to gain redress. ■ 8y Use lighting department'the borough hitd also, bs said, been seurvily treated, and the , , council would do well to go into thequestion of establishing its own tramWays and Sighting service. Details oJ btiiltling progress in the borough wcro also (liven by the Mayor, who subsequently touched upon tho question of drainage, the septiu tank scheme, and the proposed loan. He referred to the improvements that- had been carried out at the Recreation Ground, and the plans for the future, mid conimendedtho work of tho Beautifying Society, which had keen started by somo enor-' getie councillors, ami which had si-' ready carriod out useful tree-planting. : In conclusion, he Uianked councillor's ■ for their assistance in looking after tlio-; affairs of'the borough, and also tliankoil the engineer, town clerk, and assistant, and iho Sinking Fund Cormnissionws, whose efforts had been directed in the bpsfc interests of tho borough. ! Karori Imd now boon tided over a period of difflcuity, and they could look hopefully to 'the futtire.