CIVIC ASSOCIATION.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 39, 6 March 1930, Page 5

CIVIC ASSOCIATION.

LOWER HUTT AFFAIRS

At the 1930 initial meeting of the Civic Association, , Mr. Strong, president, occupied the chair." ' ,

The Hivtt, River Board's Statement of Accounts, for the year 1928-29 was examined. Receipts (including a 1927----28 balance of £545/7/6) were £6580 14s, 1; balance, £34/1/-.

Members ■ discussing the Statement, stressed the gravity of the' financial situation; .Qn Ist FefbruaTy, 1931 r , a £5153/8/6 inscribed- loan matures, and in each of the, four succeeding years loans of similar amounts .fall \ due* Scheduled of the Statement discloses sinking funds provided for repayment of loans from the Pu&lic Trustee, but no provision is made for repayment of inscribed loans amounting to £49,800.

The statutory power of the Borough Council to fix tihe date and demand payment of rates was considered. It was pointed out thait the Rating Act, 1925, Section 65 (1), provides: "If any person fails, for fourteen days after demand thereof, to pay any rate for which he is; liable the local authority' mayrecover the same as a debt in any Court of competent jurisdiction. :■

The attitude of the Petone and Lower Hiitt Gas Lighting- Board in failing to answer relevant correspondence from the Association was criticised. It was

decided to resist any- amending- proposed legislation introdii'ced into Parliament nepct.. session that omits provision empowering tie ratepayers of the two Boroughs to decide at ■&' statutory poll the question of coal-gas production in the Valley; and to facilitate opposition, Mr. W. NasL, M.P V be communicated with. v

The aibove report referring to the Hutt River Board has'beenJbrougiht under the nptice of Mr. C.. Grostelow, a ineiiifber" of fhe Tttnanee" Committee who supplies the following information. —Ed.

"One hardly knows whether to be annoyed or merely amused at the conclusions reached" by the Civic Association after their examination of the Accounts of the Butt River Board. Members of the Civic Association appear to be worried by the fact that on. Ist February 1931, £5,153/8/6. <x£ Inscribed "Loan matures and that in each of the four' succeeding years approximately ]. similar amounts mature, without any provision* having been made, for repayment of the loans. It is .somewhat surprising, in view-'of the publicity that has recently been given.to tie nature of these Inscribed Loans, that no mem-

ber of the Civic Association was aible to point out to the meeting that the periodical payments of' the Board in respect of these inscribed Loans are in effect annuity-instalments and that as a result the Loans are automatically written off at maturity. Had the Chairman 'of-'the. Civic Association taken .the ifcrdu'ble to ascertain, the actual facts from the Clerk or from any memiber of the River Board, his hearers, instead of "stressing1 the gravity of the financial situation " .wotald have congratulated themselves and t>he River Board on being in the happy financial position of annually writing off over £5000 of in-' debtedness, with corresponding savings in the annual interest 'bill."