FINANCE OF H.B. RIDINGS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 110, 26 May 1937, Page 6

FINANCE OF H.B. RIDINGS

Only Two Out of Eleven Have Credit Balance SUMMARY OF POSITION Two only of the eleven ridings in the Hawke's Bay County Council completed their financial year with a credit balance, this being reflected in the fact that' the county finances as a whole fell back during the year by more than £5000. In the annual report to the county this morning by the chairman, Mr F. B. Logan, the financial operations of the various ridings are tabulated, with a brief account of the main expenditure in each Details are as follow: — Clive.— Goinmenced the year with a debit 'balance of £2557 and finished with a debit balance of £1518. This improvemeufr of the financial position was the best recorded among the eleven ridings, and with most of- its roads permanently sealed, this riding should very shortly be able to wipe oft' the yemaindpr of its debt. The sum of £777 was spent on drains, over half of the riding expenditure. Havelock.— Commenced with a credit balance of £365 and finished with a debit balance of £27. Despite a grant from- the general account, the expenditure on the Middle road is still a very heavy drain on the resources of the riding. Heretaunga. — Commenced with a debit balance of £143 and finished with a debit balance of £445. The alteration of the eystem of rating has had a most serious effect on the finances of the riding; added to this, it suffered exten sively in the cyclonic storm of last year and its expenditure on the cleaning of drains was out of all proportion to its nornial responsibility" in this class of work

TJnexpected Expenditure. Maraekakaho.— Commenced with a credit balance of £103 and finished with a debit balance of £346. The riding was called. "on for. a half share in an unexpectedly large expenditure of £908 on the Bridge Pa-Baukawa road." Meeanee.— Commenced with a debit balance of *£2582 and finished with a debit balance of £1810, a most pleasing improvement after • many years of disastrous setbacks due to periodical flooding. Meeanee still has to face a serious pro.blem in drainage, but in this matter it must be remembered tliat in the past it has assumed greator responsibilities than .were included in the normal functions of a riding, and it is hoped that an adjustment will be reached in the near future. Taihape Boad Expenditure. Okawa.— Commenced with a credit balance of £116 and finished with . a debit balance of £1182. Okawa for many years has had a substantial credit balance but has had to pay a large contribution to the general account. lf, was considered advisable to keep up au economic standard of maintenance without raising the rate, and to this end the working of the riding was afranged to finish with a debit balance of £830. Ov,er £2200 was spent, on the Napier-Taihape road. The council has made - strenuous efforts to have this road declared a main highway. Petane. — Commenced with a debit balance of £348 and finished with a credit balance of £60. Apart from the problem of Wallace's Crossing, Petane has no works of a major nature to prepare for and should be able to consolidate its fiuauces in a satisfactory manner. Poukawa. — Commenced with a debit balance of £365 and finished with -adebit balance of £393. The chief item of expenditure was £908 on the Bridge Pa-Kaukawa road. Puketapu. — Commenced with a debit balance of £1212 and finished with a debit balance of £728, a Satisfactory recovery considerdng that during the year the Eissington cottage was purehased for the sum of £601, and that the riding suffered extensively during the cyclonic storm. Waikare. — Commenced with ' a debit balance of £2204 and finished' with a debit balance of £1745. The "collection of rates has improved considerably and expenditure has been carefully watehed. The annual interest payment to the Wairoa County, amounting to* £484, makes it difficult for the riding to progress 'finaneially. Waimarama. — Commenced with a credit balance of £3317 and finished with a credit balance of . £1382.' This reduction was in accord with the poiicy adopted when the estimates were prepared. During thB year the Puhokio sfream bridge was eonstrueted at a total cost of £916.