RATES AND RENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1934, Page 9

RATES AND RENTS

POSITION BRIGHTER

AHEAD OF LAST YEAR

The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, stated at last night's meeting of the City Council that there was a considerable improvement as regarded the collection of rates in comparison with last year. Up till tho end of September, 1933, the rates collected amounted to £80,730, and to the end of September this year to £105,356, so that the position was £25,000 better. To a large extent that was due to the fact that the rate demands had been issued three weeks earlier this year than last. However, the position could not be properly summed up until nearer the date when the 10 per cent, penalty for late payment of rates came nearer. Councillor C. H. Chapman, M.P., said that the position was very gratifying indeed and showed that confidence was returning and that citizens were able to meet their obligations. Bents were also much higher for the first six months of the year, £28,335, as against £24,079 last year. If any indication of a return of confidence was required, surely there it was. Councillor T. Forsyth: That is what the Prime Minister has been telling you all along. HALF-YEAR EXPENDITURE. Councillor Chapman said that the position as regarded the council's estimates was equally bright. The works committee had a total of £142,521 for the year and had so far spent only £65,264, so that the committee had £75,000 to spend in the second half of the year. Similarly, the reserves committee had so far spent only £13,809 out of £31,925. The position of the libraries committee was different, in that the greater part of its expenditure had to bo met during the early part of the year. "A councillor: How about cemeteries? Councillor Chapman: Doing very well, thank you. The total vote was £7848, and the expenditure for the half-year was £2846.

The position, summed up, continued Councillor Chapman, was that of the £685,109 provided under the estimates £311,873 had been spent during the first half of the year.

Mr. Hislop said that the collection of rates in arrears (from previous years) had been much better than last year, about £10,000 more having been collected under this heading than last year. In large part the better position was due to the energy and resource of the officers charged with the collection of the rates. He hoped, with Councillor Chapman, that the council would come through the year without spending more than it had provided for.

Councillor P. M. Butler: We can give the other 10 per cent, back, thenl

It was rather early to make any decision in that direction, the Mayor replied.