COUNTY FINANCES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 72, 12 April 1937, Page 8

COUNTY FINANCES

"In Healthy State," Says Mr Logan NO RATE INCREASE?. "The finances of the council are in « healthy state," said Mr F. B. Logan, chairnan, At tc-day's meeting of tho 'Hawke's Bay County Council when rtferring, to the debit of £4000 shown foi; last year. Mr Logan stated that it might be possible for the council tc» manage for coming year withiut having to xncrease the rates. This v ould c;ep*.n I in a g eat meas'U© to ihe fect tf tne increase made ty »in . vi' it wages. "To the casual readers of the nevit. pap'-Jf it might appear tbat we are ia in a bit of a messi having a debit bal» ance of £4000," said the chairman, "When the result of all the damag# ,done by flood last year becarne- more apparent, we made up our minds that we could expect an overdraft of £8000, In view of that we sougjht relief from the Treasury, asking that we have the right to have an overdraft of £7000, Through the extraordinarily good collection of rates .the position has been helped considerably. Our position ii very healthy indeed. Our loan indebt* edness is not more than £6000 and ou* overdraft of £4000 should ' soon be iiquidated. "Several of the large items of ex« penditure last year wiJl not be recurw ring. These include our building pro, gramme and our contiibution towarda river control. With regard to the ratee they will be decided later in the year, and I will npt make any remarks oijt them just now except To say that so*far as I can see now it will not be neces* sary to make any increase- With tho increase that has had to be made in wages it might be necessary,. but tha# will be considered later."