The Globe. THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1220, 31 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1878.

The investigations of tlio finance committee of the City Council as to the collecion of the rates reveal a very peculiar state of things indeed. How former committees could have been content to allow matters to go on in the way they have been for some years past, has yet to bo explained. Tiio result of the enquiry recently made into the city rate collection was brought very forcibly before the Council on Monday evening by Cr. Briggs. In the course of his remarks he gave some figures which the ratepayers will no doubt have read with interest, though scarcely with satisfaction. As our readers are no doubt aware, a subsidy is payable to the municipalities by the Government under the Financial Arrangements Act. The amount of this subsidy depends upon the amount of rates collected within the municipality during the year. The year ending in March, the Government only pay the subsidy on the amount of rates actually received up to that date. It will thus be seen that now more than ever energy on the part of the collector, and promptitude on that of the ratepayers are most essential. If the collection of the whole assessment is enabled to be completed by March, then the Government pay subsidy on the whole amount. On the other hand if only half, or at most two - thirds is collected the subsidy suffers to that extent. Already the city has lost £B2O (which would otherwise have come to it) from this very cause. As was pointed out, the assessment of the city for the year ending March, 1876, had been £7531 75,. but only £5890 18s had been collected. The city consequently lost 10s in the £ on £1640 9s. Through the laches therefore of the late finance committee, the city lost £B2O of subsidy; for it must not be forgotten that those rates were not actually uncollectable, as nearly the whole of that sum was received during the following half-year, too late, however, to count. It certainly does not redound to the credit of Messrs Hobbs, Nathan, and Turner, that such a large sum of money should have been entirely lost to the city, apparently in consequence of their neglect to see that the rates were promptly collected. Let us now turn to our present position. Tho 1877 assessment produced £8677 17s. Out of this up to January 10th of this year there remained £3074 15s still uncollected. The year ends on 31st March, and we arc now at the end of January so that it will be seen that no time is to be lost if we desire to receive the full subsidy. Christchurch has so little by way of endowment, in comparison with many other municipalities, that we cannot afford to lose any portion of the revenue coming to us. Therefore we would desire to impress upon the ratepayers their duty in this matter, which is to pay their rates at once. By so doing they will, as we have shown, enable the Council to secure the full subsidy. On the other hand, if they do not, they place very great obstacles in the way of that body getting for the city what is its due. They cannot, therefore, complain if tho City Council take vigorous measures, without respect of persons, to recover the rates. There has been in tho past too much consideration shown, but, in the short time which elapses between now and the 31st of March, wo understand that the present Finance Committee have resolved to act with vigour and without respect of persons. We hope, however, that there will be little necessity for taking legal steps in the matter. All arc equally interested in securing the full advantages conferred upon us by legislation, and all therefore should come forward willingly and pay their rates promptly,

An ACCOUNT has recently been issued showing the financial working of our railways for the year. The table is a most interesting one. as it gives a great deal of information in a very small compass. The results are tabulated under six headings, which comprise the length id the various sections open for traffic, the total revenue and expenditure to end of financial year, the percentage of expenditure to revenues and the revenue and expenditure per mile open, Of coiu'sewe here are more directly interested in the Canterbury railways, so that a brief reference to the results shown as regarded them may be given first. The length of lino open for traffic on what is known as the Christchurch Hue is 381 miles. The expenditure to end of financial year upon this section has been £86.262 14s Bd, and the revenue £106,053 9s [hi _ The revenue per mile of line open in Canterbury is £604 8s 6d, and the expenditure £491 12s 7d, and tho per centage of expenditure to revenue is 81.34. This is a very satisfactory state of things, and speaks very highly of the progress made here. There nro other parts of the colony, notably Dunedin, Napier, and Inver-cai-oill, where very satisfactory results are shewn.' But when we coine to look at some of tho North Island railways wo imd it very different. If we except Napier, the development of traffic appeaas to have been very successful, the remainder add littie u> £be public revenue On tuo contrary, somfo of them have balances on the wrong Bide The publication of a tab e such as thi cannot but 1)0 productive of good It The peopL of the colony aro thus enabled to see the Localities in which railways are returning a revenue 0 riouutry, and hence those in which IS J m **»* »> «*g

them to come down prepared to support those railways which are projected in parts of the colony where they pay, and to oppose any further expenditure of public money in others where, as proved by the table from which we have been quoting, the results are far from satisfactory. With careful and good management our railways may yet bo made even more productive. If the Government can see their way clear to grant several small concessions now asked for—such as that referring to the Addington produce depot —the carrying traffic of our railways will be largely increased. We hope that they will do so. and also that they will put the internal affairs of the department upon such a footing as to prevent the recurrence of the dissatisfaction we have heard so much of recently.