PETONE'S CIVIC YEAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2750, 19 April 1916, Page 8

PETONE'S CIVIC YEAR

MAYOR'S ANNUM, REPORT.

There were present at Monday's meeting of the Petono Borough Council the Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Bwan) and' Councillors Forsyth, List, Cox, Brocklebank, M'Dougall, Jones, and Anderson. Tlie Mayor's ninth annual report of the work- done during tho year ended March. 31, 1916, congratulated the borough on the progress made in municipal activity. The strong demand for house accommodation caused the question of the erection of dwellings under the Municipal Corporations Act to be looked into; and it was found that just as the increased cost of materials used in building debarred private enterprise,' so it handicappod' municipal enterprise. If houses wero'_ erected now, rents would be high, and if, when the war is over, materials should return to normal prices, then rents would come down; and there would be a chance of losing upon the houses built in war time. It was suggested that a committee should be appointed to consider the question of building concrete houses, the possibility of erecting houses of lighter, yet stable, construction than the present by-laws permitted, and the cost of house construction using American timbers. • '. The total receipts for tho year were £9771 16s. 9d., not including the estimated transfer of £500 from the gasworking account, which was absorbed bv the cost of holder foundations, £420. The expenditure, eliminating the sunr of £950, temporary loan to gas-working amounts to £10,770, but, as much' of this was stated to be non-recurring, it was considered that the amount would be made good during the.current year. Tho gas account showed a credit balance of £5 7s. Id., the total coat of the gas-holder, including ■ erection, £3498. In the gas-fitting department a profit of £23 lis. was shown, and in the maintenance department a credit of £8 9s. sd. The coal sales department amounted to £2379 Bs. 7d., and.the expenditure to £2410 13s. Id., leaving a debit on the account of £3145. 6d., or an improvement of £462, less accounts owing for coal,'£2lo; leaving an accumulated not profit of £252. On the water maintenance account there was a credit, of 17s. 6d. The total amount raised by. loans amounted to £52,400. On the sea-front improvement scheme, the. balance-sheet showed that of the loan of £5000 raised there was a balance of £434. The report, which was adopted, concluded expressing thanks to tho staff generally for tho consistent service rendered at all times, and the opinion was ventured that tho council's work was appreciated by the townspeople.