LOWER HUTT RATES.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 9, 24 July 1930, Page 3

LOWER HUTT RATES.

In connection with the Lo^wer Hntt riites, the Mayor (Sir Alex. Roberts), baa made the following statement: —

"An increase in the rates for the current year was inevitable," he said, "•aa the borough has now reached the point where the full costs of the development which has taken place during Ttjeent years must be borne by the rates, "During the period that the borough was carrying out extensive development work on behalf of the Government quite rightly a reasonable c&arge was made •Scr the supervision of the work by our jwirraanent officials, and this naturally relieved our administrative expenses. This work has now been almost completed, and the revenue received from tfeat source has practically ceased. What Increase Means. "The increase of lid in the rates present a sum of £10,100 and is made vtp of an increase in the general account of £3284 plus an increase of £7520 in tfee interest account less a reduction of £708 required for separate accounts, i.e., kospital and street lighting. The increase in the interest account is accounted for as> follows: — Increase of inti';ol! reaowal of £17,000 Ln. ........ 46r • Sink. Fd. and Int on £16,500 1 Sower Ex. Ln., Ist time ... 11«4 A*Biak/Fd. and Int. on £2600 " TJnemply. Ln. lat time . . 160 Sink- Yd. and Int. on. £950 Bridge Ln., Ist time .... 81 Sink. Fd. and Int. on £1620 Bower Ln., Ist time ..... 138 Sink. Fd and Int on £11,80,0 Tar Seal Ln., Ist time .. 1555 Sink. Fd. and Int on £?6,000 Bd. Impr. Ln., Ist time .. 1461 — 5010 Amounts being paid out of interest account this year previously paid out of general account:—- • Int. and Sink Fund, on £350 Hautana Sq. Ln 22 Int. and Sink. Fd. on £8000 Antecedent Liab. Ln .. 640 Int. and Sink Fd. on £750

Taita Cemetery Ln. 18<> Hutt Ed maintenance .. 140 —~ »$$ Provision made for Hospital Board subsidy on B Glass labour not received . . *$4 Amount absorbed last year from cr. balances in Loan a/c and used in reduction of int. A/c, but not avail- . able tiis year ........ 1082 •' "' . > •■ .. ' £7514 - Additional Expenditure. In the general account, as this account- has been relieved of payments totalling £988, as shown a'bovc in relation to the interest account, . this amount should be added to the increase in the. general account, malting the additional estimated expenditure £4272. i This sum inaj^ be accounted for as follows:— ~ . • ■'.'■■■-...■■■ ' * Increase in estimate, for adminisi tratiori as explained above, and also due" to cessation of-loan*; •work to which also is a pToj>ortion ,of .administrative costs .. :. were chargeable • 1500 Increase in, estimates for road - maintenance ....."........... . 900 Increase in estimates for footpath maintenance . 600 j Special non-recurrent expenditure upon imperatively necessary works to -which council is committed this year, unsuitable for I inclusion in unemployment loan and too small to raise -by special loan ........ — ...... 1220 . £4220 ! The Future. j "It must be realised that -with, tho i extensive and rapid development that ; has taken place in recent years, many I miles of new streets, sewers, and other services have now to be maintained, and where streets have been tar-sealed the conditions imposed by the Loans Board on loans for this purpose have made the charge for interest and sinkIng fund very heavy. The extension of the sewer and water systems now

almost completed .should cover the requirements of the borough for somo years. "It may be added that reference to several boroughs of similar size and population to our own discloses the fact that the rate averages Bd. in the £1, as against 6id v only in one case being lower than outs. Extraneous work referred to above has enabled the council to keep the rato lower than would otherwise have been possible for some years.- past, but the natural- result of that policy has been a sudden increase of some magnitude wnich in other circumstances would have been spread over a period of years.

"The framing of tie estimates far this year was given most cafeTal'* and earnest consideration, both by the committee concerned with the various sections, and also by the council as a whole. Reductions were ma,d£ wherever possible, and any further reduction could only have resulted in the inefficient administration of the boroughs properties and services."