CITY'S FINANCE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 241, 5 July 1919, Page 8

CITY'S FINANCE

THE ESTIMATES APPROVED

WORKS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR

EXPENDITURE OF OVER £10,000

The estimates of the. Wellington City Corporation for Die year eiidiiij; .March .'II, 193), were approved al, a jperial meotinjr of tliA City Council yesterday afternoon. Tho estimates hnd been considoiV. h.v (lie council at. an earlier mielinfj. The lolal amount proposed to ho expended ou works then was J2-J-5.7J1. but as this sum was in excess of (he nnficiimted available revenue, some reductions had since linen made. The figures .approved by the council provide, for an expenditure of •£40,378. and show an estimated surplus of =£072.

The chief items in the estimate.? •aro as follow:—

Repair* and improvements to macadaniised streets t5,13C I Special works S.S2O ' Concrete and asphalt roadway .... i)2fl Concrete kerb and channel ...; J,572 I Concrete channels ',93 .Flagging-. 770 Asphalt footpaths 2,44s Gravel footpaths 483 Crossings .! s.io Tarring and sanding 2,400 Stormwater drainage 3,jsd I Fencing •, jflij : Name plates' '. 50 Private streets made public under 1909 Act. 777 Incidental throughout, city 1,000 ' , .£40,37$ The money voted by the council is allocated among the districts as follows:— £ City District 20.205 1 Island Bay District 1,935 Kelburn District 1,473 Kilbirnie District 0,053 Melrose District ' 435 : Northland District. ,'. 1,775 j Ohiro District 5,409 Eoseneath District '. 1,527 Wadestown ' District 1,450 Incidental throughout City 1,000

.fitters The special works in the city district include the improvement of Oriental Parade north of Grass Street' at an estimated cost of 431200 (reduced' from ■£17:17). The improvements include tho continuation of tho sea-wall and the erection of a band rotunda. A' concrete wall is to be erected between, (ho high-level and low-level roads in Roxburgh Street, from Prince Street to Hawker Street. A vote of JE3IIO is provided for the forming, kerbing; ciiannallmg, and asphalting of Thorndon Quay. Iho sum of rCp is voted for concrete and asphalt in Dix« Street, west of Cuba Street.

'J. he Mayor (Mr. J". P. Luke, M.P.) moved the adoption of'the estimates. He said that the council had increased tho general rate from 2 MOd.'to 2Jd., and eo had secured increased revenue to the amount of- .£19,093, but the original estimates of expenditure had still shown a deficit at tho close of the current financial year. The Acting-City " Ehgihoir had.since gone through the estimates, and had made reductions to the amount of .£5337. These reductions would leave thcv council with an estimated credit balance on the general account of .£932. He thought that in the circumstances the council could fairly bo satisfied with a email apparent surplus. The reductions that had been made in the estimates would not involve any real hardship on any district, ho thought, 'since, as a.matter of fact it never was possible to carry out fully within'a year the works provided for in the vear's estimates. Councillor AV. H. Bennett seconded the motion. Ho said he regretted that the estimates did not make provision for tho widening of Wellington Terrace between Ghuznec Street and .Tugestro .Street. This portion of the Terrace was a disgrace, and its improvement ought to have been undertaken very long ago. Councillor T. .Forsyth said that he thought the vote for tho tarring and sanding of streets ought to be increased, not reduced. Some of the principal streets were in a disgraceful state. Tarring and sanding had proved a verv profitable proposition in innny parts of tho Wairarapa and Taranaki. The Mayor: It is done with loan money. , Councillor Forsyth added that there had been much talk about a need for rest rooms in iha city, but no provision was being made for them. The Mayor said a payment bad bo&n authorised for one rest room. Peace Vote Criticised. Councillor Forsyth said that if no vote appeared in the estimates nothing would be done. A vote had been proposed for peace celebrations. Ho considered that in' the changed conditions it would be a wicked waste of money to spend largely on peace celebrations. The money could well he used for tho erection of n rest room on the old market reserve an the rear of the Itoyal Oak Hotel. He was sorry to find no provision for the payment of superannuation to certain old servants- of the council. The old men ought to bo brought within the superannuation scheme. Tho actual cost would bo small, because the city would benefit by securing younger and moro active employees. More provision should bo made for tho improvement of tho roads. The failure to top-dress wood-blocks properly had caused the city much loss. Councillor G. Frost objected to anv leduetion of the vote for reserves. "Tho estimate had been cut very low already. Tho work on the reserves had necessarily increased, and wages had risen. He fear, ed some new councillors did not understand what had to bo dono on th« reserves. Councillor P. Eraser also objected to any reduction in tho reserves voto. Ho said that the estimates disregarded the congested areas of the city. The condition of affairs in some narrow lanes oif Tory Street were disgraceful. The mud was almost impassable for children. Some portions of Taranaki Street were badly in need of repair. The people in certain outlying districts had a claim to moro attention. Occupiers of lonely houses between Lyall Bay und Newtown; had been neglected for years. Ho thought the spending of much money on official peace celebratious was now unnecessary. The people had celebrated spontaneously at. Iho time of tho armistice. The money could much moro prolitably be spaat on tho provision of tepid baths at Tnorndon or other necessary and desirable works.

Councillor R. A. Wright'said if the council was not. to reduce estimates, and was to undertake all the works mentioned by councillors it must have more money, and Ihe solo way to got that money was lo increase the rates. A. substantial increase in rates would mean another riso in rents. Councillor Wright suggested that 0. crossing was required in Tliorn--11011 Quay at Davis Street. There wero other very important needs, but the question was simply one of finance. Tho tarring and sanding of wood-block slrcols were, urgent, since many accidents were caused by the slippery surfaces. Councillor Norwood pointed out, that Iho council had already fixed the rates, and it. was engaged now in discussing expenditure beyond the revenue availablo. Improvement of Fleserv'os. Councillor L. M'Keiuie. said he. Iho'ughl the task of the council was simply lo sort out the most essential works,'and fpend tho available money lo tho best advantage, '('ho council could nol, do anything. As a mailer of fact, Iho Works Committee found itself Jiampora! year after year in UlO provision*of slrcpt anil drainage improvements authorised bv the council by lack ol'mouey, due to Iho fact Hint votes were made out of Ihe general fund for purposes not con-, templated when the estimates were fraui-' cd. lie did not think Ihe Reserves Committee, was Retting value for Iho money expended. No city in New Zealand lent itself better to decoration, but the Unserves Committee did nol seem Id secure results. There was scope for the really effective improvement of reserves.

Councillor Thompson was surprised at Councillor M'Kcnzic's allrg.ilion Hint Hie Reserves Committee was nol gelling value for its money.

Councillor 'M'Kcnzie offered lo produce details in support of his contention, let the Mayor urged the shortness of (he time remaining, and the mailer dropped. The Mayor said the council bail already

fixed the rates, and if more money were required it cuuld not bo obtained except bv an increase in Ihe rules. The.v had already been im.-roi.std by .fci"i,(lnu this .year, and it was a rallier large inerease when compared wil.li Hni made in Auekland, where 11m raleable area wan consido'rably greater. Auckland had nul .K7,000 on to (he rales. Me thought Hint it would' be. wicked lo waste money on the peace celebrations, and if a saving could be made he was in •favour uf it. So fur as sii]ini-ininiiiilii!n -.vas i-micci'licd, he would leave (lie .Mayoral chair li*fnr« his lime rallier limn iml any obstacle in the way nf ihe old men in the i-nmi-oil's service. Al Ihe next ses-ion of Parliament Ihe council would ,-.sk for pnr.-er lo make a direct grant In lhcs» men when I boy were leaving Ihe service. The estimates wero adopted.