QUEENSTOWN CORPORATION.

Dunstan Times, Issue 364, 16 April 1869, Page 3

QUEENSTOWN CORPORATION.

(to the editor of the ditnstan times.)

Sir, —Your Arrowtown correspondent, in commenting upon the annual balancesheet of this Corporation, has managed to so grossly misrepresent matters, that I have to trouble you with this letter of explanation. The matter is only noticed, however, upon the grounds, that the circulation of such comments, if uncontradieted, might do harm to the cause of Municipal Government. For instance, the Government of Dunedin would only be too happy to be able to quote the random assertions I am noticing, as actual truths, and plead them as a reason why thegrant-in-aicl should be abolished, or at least, not maintained by a special vote of the Council at its present rate. This would be harm enough, but figures are adduced to prove that 75% of the rates have been “expended in their collection and disbursement.” Then comes the sneer at the cost of local self-government. It was only the other day your correspondent endeavoured, by a similar course of conduct, to injure another local institution the hospital. I only mention this matter here because it is clear your correspondent is not favorably incline 1 to what be styles local self-government, but what we call hero the management of our own affairs by ourselves. AVithout these remarks, my explanations would be practically of little use.

Against the over-draft—not deficiency—is a debt due of £3OO from the Government and rates collectable of about £2OO, with the grant-in-aid upon that. Up to February of this year £IOO of rates had been paid in and tho government grant for which is £2OO, so that we had about £7OO of assets to represent the deficiency of £144 4 6, but this deficiency really represents money due on Glenorchy Road, amounting to £lO5, which has since been paid, but could not come into a balance made up to 31st Dec.. The Town Clerk’s Salary is £4O per year Ten per Cent commission for collecting rates. Tho £7B represents arrears at old rate of £IOO per annum. Sundries, £4O, not £43, is for work principally done in cleaning tho Town, removing nuisance, cartage and freight, and not for cost of management. jhe Pic Nic to his Honor cannot be called, cost of management either, and the delegation expenses, which amongst other things got the sums for Glenorchy Head. The Shotovor Ferry approaches increased, & saved the Wakatip runs, besides other matters. The amount of £226 4 11, represents collections of rates for 1867. It was decided that in consequence of heavy local calls made upon the people for other matters not Municipal, for Hospitals, Schools, Churches &c., that the rates for 1868-69 should not be collected before the end of February last, but nevertheless, the Corporation has been working all tho time and spent £503 IS. upon purely public Town Works, and for Government upon roads, L 412 17s 3d, the total expenditure, being L 1133 15s 3d. If the cost of management had been reckoned on L 503 expended instead of L 223 rates received, it would have been fair, and that would have reduced it to 36 per cent according to his showing, or according to mine 22%. Town Clerk, L7B 9s. 2d.; advertising. &c., L 25 13s. Bd,; assessment, L 7; stationery L2 125.; other expenses, L 5; interest, L 7; tota', L 125 145.; equal 11% which is about the actual cost. Queenstown has always obtained the credit of beinga cheap-worked municipality.

This explanation is naturally long, but has been brought on by your correspondent’s ingenious remarks. If he had applied to me I world have given him every information he required, and ho would have saved himself from making absurd statents. I am, Sir, Your’s obediently, H. MANDERS, Town Clerk. Queenstown, April 12, 1869.