DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2920, 4 November 1916, Page 11

DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS

THE MAYOR'S VIEWS. It is tho earnest desire of some city councillors that the accounts of each department of the corporation should bo kept in such a way as to accurately show what that particular department is costing. To arrive at that conclusion and make every department "bear its own weight," it has been urged that there aro cases where some departments are not debited with certain charges, whilst others are. To show what was the state of things at pro-' sent the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) presented a memorandum to the couuoil or Thursday, which was of interest to all who take_their civic duties serious-, ly. Referring to that memorandum yesterday, the Mayor said that there must necessarily be some differentiation made as between departments, inasmuch as thej differed entirely in character and tho work tliey had to perform. The. tramways and electric light were debited with rent, but the Fire Brigade was no,t, because ill one instance the department was a huge trading. concern, 'and in the other it was, a provision which had to be made. in, the interests of-citizens and their property. Tho Mayor stated that the council had a 'very' fine arrangement <vith the bank, whereby interest was only chargeable on 1 the overdraft day by day. That was to say that as soon as moneys were'paid into the bank the amount was deducted from tho sum on which interest had to be paid. To-<3ay the city might be paying interest on an overdraft of £30,000, tomorrow it might only bo £5000. In a nutshell, tho credits wcro balanced against tho debits daily. "Some councillors," said the Mayor, "thought that tho Tramways and Electric Light Departments should bo charged directly with a proportion of the City Engineer's salary, because he is the general manager. I don't believe that is necessary. What I think might, be done is that a book entry might be mado transferring a proportion of the salaries of the Engineer, City Solicitor, and Town Clerk, and perhaps other general officers, from the departments to the general fund just prior to tho close of tho financial year. After all, it is like taking money out of one pocket and putting it in tbe other."

"Objection is also raised to a big consumer oT water TSe the Tramways Department being only charged 6d. por 1000 gallons, instead of 9d., as somo other departments were. That, I think is excusable on the ground that the tramways' is such a large consumer. It could not very well be charged witli nioro than 6d. Why, it could dig a well, and raise all the water needed for less than that. We (Luke and Sons) wore ablo to do it only about eighty yards away—water every bit as good as wo got from Waimii."