ELTHAM BOROUGH

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 17 June 1933, Page 9

ELTHAM BOROUGH

REVALUATION 1 PROPOSED. GAS RATE TO BE STRUCK. At the monthly meeting of the Eltham Borough Council last evening there were present the Mayor (Mr 1/ J. Bridger) in the chair and Crs. T. H. Valintine, F. -G a with, R. Lewis, W. Ricketts A. Whiting, H. J. Drabble, T. Penhall, T. E : . Trask and S. Richards. Cr. Trask asked what the position was regarding the episode at the last council meeting. The Mayor replied that he had exercised his powers under the standing orders, and as far as he was concerned the incident was closed. A letter was received from Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., asking what steps the borough proposed to take regarding a revaluation of the borough. He considered this was imperative and necessary. He added that if the council did not propose to l .get a revaluation this year he proposed to have his properties revalued before the end of the year. He had. no wish to escape his fail- responsibility for rates, and urged that a general revaluation would be preferable to separate valuations at the instigation of the owners. The Mayor pointed out that there was an increasing number of applications- for revaluation, and he agreed that a general reduction of the borough would he desirable. He moved that steps be taken to have a general revaluation made. This was supported by other councillors and carried. The question of. converting loans owing by the council was considered, the Mayor advocating that all loan® that it was possible to .convert should be converted. However, only about half the loans held by the council appeared to he convertible. He considered that the 20 per cent reduction as at present did not offer any great security. The conversion, on the other hand, would be assured Until the loans matured. It was resolved to take steps to convert all loans possible. the Mayor announced' that it would be necessary to strike a fairly heavy rate for the gasworks accounts to cover loss and depreciation, which, latter would have to he paid into a depreciation fund in cash. The working loss was about £330, and the accrued depreciation £570, making a total of £9OO which would have to be met by way of rate. He did not see any possibility of making the gasworks pay. They could make an additional million feet of gas at no extra cost, except that of the coal, if they could sell it. Economies had been effected, hut it was not possible to further reduce expenditure. The only thing was to induce residents to consume more gas. The interest and sinking fund would go on if they did not produce a foot of gas, so the gas department had to be carried on. The saving proposed by the committee amounted to about £SO per annum. The Eltham Men’s Hookey dub was given permission to use the park for a tournament, provided tiiere were no other fixtures on the day suggested.