COUNTY FINANCES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 111, 27 May 1937, Page 10

COUNTY FINANCES

Our Own Correspondent.')

WAIPAWA CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW OF P0SITI0N

(From

WAIPAWA, Thia Day. Tbe Waipawa County Council bas completed its year with an excess of receipts over expenditure of £605. Ratepayers have been well served by this iocal body, which haa not always fouud things easy; having Deen obliged to work on an overdraft lor tlie greater part of the year, and in respect of which the interest showed a alight increase on that of the previous year. "During the year cuts in salaries and wages were restored to the level of those obtainang in 1931," said tbe chairman, Mr N. M. Paulsen, in his annual report„ adopted at the statutory annual meeting of the council yesterday. ^ "In addition the wages of the outside staff have been increased to those presciribed by law as set out in the different awards under which our men work, and the hours have been reduced to forty per week iu accordance with the provusions of those awards. Naturally these changes have added considerably to the cost of maintenance. "I am sorry to report that once again we had to work on an overdraft for the greater part of the year, and the interest on overdraft showed a 6light inerease on that of the previous year. "Though we had not so much extraordinary expenditure as in 1936, there are several items which may be classed trader that heading such as repairing the damage caused by the disastrous flood of February of that year; a new car for the engineer; first instalment on a new caterpillar tractor; conversion expenses; heavy property repairs; and making good damage to telephone lines by storms. Receipts and Expenditure. "Receipts for the past year (ended March 31). from all sources amounted to £25,334, and expenditure to £24,729," Mr Paulsen added. "The general rate collected for the year amounted to £10,775 and also £604 of arrears of general rates. In addition the special rates collected amounted to £1080 and the sanitation rates to £205. "Mdscellaneous receipts items include £3774 subsidy on ratee, rents collected £339, motor drivers ' licences £241, sundry licences £156, heavy traffic fees £606, fifths £186, refund licence expenses £41, petrol tax refund £259, hire of plant, etc. £98, insurance claims £36, material sold £60, dog tax £86, court fines £6, heavy traffic fees (pool) £62, timber royalty £328, thirds £23, Government grants £960, Main Highways grants £3783. "On the expenditure side- the chief items were: Maintenanee of roads and bridges in ridings £2201, tools and plant £2622, main highways maintenanee £4895, maintenanee main bridges £971, adiministration £1309, stock £281, holiday wages £140, printing and adverbising £149, general expenses £100, hospital levy £2393, property repairs £134, contribution health inspector's salary £90, sick pay £23, raager's fees £76, bank overdraft interest £90, insurances £108, chairman and couneillors'' travelling expenses £162, rates and taxes £40, loans conversion expenses £76, Hillman Hawk car £381, caterpillar grader (instalment) £400, interest and repayinents £4987."