WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1920, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, APRIL 27. Treasurer’s report on receipts and expenditure for 1919-1920 and apportionment of revenue to separate Ridings for 1920-1921. The following report was prepared for the Councillors for to-day’s sitting of the Westland County Council:— Sir and Gentlemen, —I have the honor to report in accordance with the resolution of the Council on the finances of the past year, and to submit the following for your guidance in connection tt'ith the apportionment of revenue for the current financial year, in terms of the provisions of the Counties Act: Ihe financial year which closed on March .31st last, gave the following general revenue, exclusive of special grants:—

£10,091 19 4 The receipts on account of road votes were £1962 18s sd, and on account of prospecting aid £l5B Ms id—the gross receipts for the year were thus £12213 14s Id. The following supplies an analysis of the. expenditure under the various subdivisions as set out in the Counties Act (a) GENERAL DEBTS AND LIABILITIES.

£670 2 6 (h) CONTRIBUTION UNDER VARIOUS ACTS. Charitable Aid £2288 3 4 Alcoholic Liquors Sales

£2708 6 6 (e) COUNTIES ACT ADMINISTRATION. '

£1,142 7 11 (d) MAIN ROADS.

£3,630 5 9 SUMMARY OF GENERAL EXPENDITURE. (a) General debts £670 2 6 (b) Counties Act 1142 7 11 (e) Contributions under acts _ 2708 6 6 (d) Main roads 3630 5 9 £8,151 2 8

The general revenue given above totalled £10,091 19s 4d, and the general expenditure set out above was £Blsl 2s Bd, leaving an excess of £1940 16s Sd, available for district roads expenditure. The expenditure on the Separate Riding Account is set out below. The net total of the accounts (omitting the transfers) was £2,546 10s, so that there was a deficit on the year’s accounts of £606. This represents the net increase of the debit balance of the County Fund Account, which increased from £3142 to £4048. Of the increase fully £SOO represents temporary advances to be repaid out of loan moneys to come in shortly, so that in view of the rising cost of labor, material and supplies the year was negotiated satisfactorily, the Council’s services having been maintained fully during the year. The following is the separate Riding expenditure for the past year as referred to in the foregoing paragraph:—

Tho transfers in respect to the £2,056 3s 9d shown above were £409 4s 9d, being £93 9s Hood damage spread over live ridings, and £195 5s 8d charged to Tofcara Riding for Donnelly’s Creek bridge, and £6O 5s each l,<> Stafford and Araliura Ridings for Malfroy’s bridge expenditure.

REVENUE ACCOUNT. The revenue account of £10,091 19s 4d was derived as follows from the respective Ridings :

£10,091 19 4 THE YEAR’S ESTIMATES. In considering tne estimated revenue and expenditure for the current year (1920-21) with a view to ascertaining what sum will he available for district roads expenditure throughout the year, the Council has yet to determine in what way it will deal with the very substantial levy proposed to be made hv the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Board. The expenditure on this account bore heavily on the Council’s funds in the past, and this year an increase of £IOO per month is contemplated. To find ■ this sum and provide for district roads, increased revenue or reduced expenditure must he faced. The Council has many commitments in regard to ordinary road expenditure, and it will not be possible to curtail ordinary road expenditure. In point of fact with the new enterprises going forward, if they are not to he stilled and hampered, more money must ho. found for the roads. The Council' must needs raise .more money, and extra taxation seems to be inevitable. To ensure the comfortable negotiation of the year, an extra rate I of Id will ho necessary. This will yield | about £2,400. The Council might man- I ago with ;jd increase, hut looking to the ! heavy demands for roads for enterprises which in a couple of years’ time will be yielding considerable revenue, and so should relieve the general position, it is advisable to increase the rate by four farthings—that is from six farthings (as at present) to ten farthings. Working on this basis for the current year the estimated revenue can he. set down at £11,500 and the estimated general expenditure (omitting district roads) at £9,400. This leaves a surplus of £2,100 for district roads, which in accordance with the Counties Act must lie allocated according to Riding | revenue, particulars of which appear a hove.

The allocation of the available sum of £2,100 on the statutory basis works out as follows, allowing for previous.debits and credits or advances, as the case may he:—

The net sum available, £2,309, will neessitafce the careful handling of the finances for the year, and even allowing for the extra rates, there will he a stringency in the funds for roads. Were it not that an amalgamation of the Ridings has been decided upon, the Council would have to consider the question of differential rating in the Ridings, or in the alternative, loans for road works. The Council could not carry on longer on a uniform rate throughout the whole County, but with amalgamation to come at the end of this year, it will he possible by temporary borrowing irom the Riding accounts, to tide over this year.

Tt is suggested that £1,350 bo borrowed temporarily from Rimu Riding, and £ 100 each from ■Dillmans and Okarito Ridings, and this sum apportioned as follows Stafford, £100; Arnlmra, £300; Kaniori, £550; Kokatahi. £400; and C)kuru £2OO. This temporary adjustment will give the following working allocation for the year:—

Hillmans Riding £354 Stafford Riding 231 Arahura Riding 14;) Kaniori Riding 20(1 Kokatahi Riding 356 Rimu Riding 300 Totara Riding 200 Okarito Riding 354 Okuru R iding : igg

£2,309 Available average expenditure, £lO2 monthly.

The allocation is less than the expenditure for last year, and the need to carefully watch the position month by month is .self-evident. The recent increases in wages means that with a less sum available there must he a restriction in general employment of labor, and the Overseer and Roadmen should be instructed specially to curtail expenditure wherever possible. There is some hope that the revenue will be moio elastic than that estimated in respect to goldfields receipts and royalty payments: if so, that will bo so much to the good, and ease the general situation : It might be possible to review the position at the end of six months, and if the revenue is maturing satisfactorily the road accounts could he augmented, but this should not be. built upon too much at this stage. In regard to road expenditure last year, the outgoings from the County Fund (not giants) were : Riding accounts £2956 Alain roads 1241 Mikonui bridge gOD Excess on grants 1275 Bridges etc 141 £6,413

This expenditure out of the general revenue was equal to about 635% of tho net receipts, and went directly on to tho roads. Charitable aid and hospital maintenance absorbed 22.1 % of tho net revenue, tho two main items of expenditure thus taking 86% of the general revenue, as against 87% the previous

year. This percentage indicates that the remainder of the Council’s income was administered very economically. This year on the levy to be made upon the Council for Charitable Aid purposes, about 30% of the estimated income fineluding tlie increased rate) will be appropriated to meet the Hospital Board charges for management.

/ This suggests some remark on the Charitable Aid Board figures. Roughly the levy is being increased by fifty per cent, the bulk of which, owing to rateable values, falls on this Council. The principal item of expenditure is the Hokitika, hospital which cost £l7 per day to run for tlie year. Recently there was a substantial increase in salaries, which the Board considered imperative, and perhaps the only comment necessary to make is that the contributing bodies might have bees consulted on the matter. The Board according to the Chairman’s report cannot see its' way to make any saving in the annual expendij turn, and promises to turn attention to I revenue. Voluntary contributions are now almost unknown, and an effort might be made to revive this welcome asd well subsidised means of income. An appallingly large sum of unpaid accounts was written off. The amount is given at £9,352, and the surprising dimensions of this sum suggest that it would pay to employ a House'Steward to watch the department, as well as take up added duties affecting the internal economy of tlie main institution. If this appointment is not made, then the Board should be impressed with the necessity of taking other means to prevent the abnormal leakage in revenue going on. The question of the charge for inmates is a subject also for obvious attention, seeing that the institution is being conducted at such a great financial loss. The matter is of prime importance to the ratepayers of the County, who will as the years go, by reason of the growing valuations, have to find a greater proportion of the cost of upkeep, hence the liberty taken of drawing attention to the matter in this annual statement.

General it .Wining Hate ... £4376 1 7 Subsidy & interest on rates 656 11 6 Goldfields’ revenue .. 1383 -9 10 I'Ves, lines and penalties ... 40 14 0 Publican's licenses 517 16 0 Rents and refunds 111 V2 0 Workers’ Compensation Act 13 0 0 Motor, Dog and Slaughter

Licenses Act • 28 12 0 Thirds Land Fund 399 17 0 Waives Royalties Fund ... 1998 18 9 Contractors’ deposits 10 0 0 Ratepayers’ contribution ... 305 6 2 Tailing site, Back Creek, refund 350 0 0

Repayment on loan .. £320 0 0 Interest on loans, etc ... 79 3 0 Interest on overdraft ... 270 19 0

Control Act 71 0 fi Workers Compensation- Act of) 1 0 Subsidy to literary institutes 13 10 0 Hating Act expenses 73 0 0 .Miscellaneous Acts $3 3 f) Peace celebration 104 5 5 Contractors’ deposit a/e ... 35 0 0 Electoral expenses 10 12 6

Chairman and members i'2(ll 17 0 Office salaries 562 3 4 Office charges 4 221 7 7 IVinting, advertising and stationery 110 0 0 Tra pliire 35 0 0

Kngineering charges £38 12 6 Traph ire 47 0 0 Printing, advertising and stationery 120 3 8 Railway bridges 102 13 8 Telephone guarantees 4 0 0 .Mikonui bridge 800 0 0 -Maintenance main roads 1241 17 1 Excess on grants expenditure 1275 18 10

Riding: Allocation; Expenditure: Cr. Bal: Dr Bal £ £ s. d. £ S, d. £ s. d. Diilmans . 463 194 0 1 268 19 11 Stafford . 259 307 3 4 48 3 4 A rail uni . 236 220 9 7 15 10 Kanieri ... 214 21.3 1 6 ] 1 0 Kokatahi . 429 583 4 9 154 4 9 Ilium 435 356 11 7 78 s 5 Totara .... 449 476 11 9 27 11 9 Okarito .. 491 336 7 11 154 12 1 Okuru 193 266 13 3 73 13 3 £3169 £2956 3 9 £ 517 10 10 £304 14 - Not credit balance *€°1° Average expenditure for month available . 264 0 o 0 Average expenditure for ■ month. , actual , 247 0 0

Dillmans Hiding £833 5 10 Stafford Hiding 808 10 6 Arahura Hiding 369 16 6 Ivanieri Hiding 180 0 0 Kokatahi Hiding 1388 3 1 Himu Hiding U551 17 6 Totara Hiding 1018 14. 3 Okarito Hiding 1356 16 11 Okuru Hiding 1 -Miscellaneous 678 6 2

Previous Net Riding Allocation Cr Hal Dr Hal advance ava i table Dillmans .. 269 Cr . 454 Stafford 179 48 Cr . 131 A rah lira ... S3 16 Dr 250 Dr. 151 Kanieri 107 1 Dr. 450 Dr . 344 Kokatalii ... 310 154 Dr. 200 Dr . 44 Riiuu 572 78 Cr. 1000 Cr. 1680 Totara 227 27 Cr. 200' Okarito 304 154 Cr. 454 Okuru 133 74 £100 Dr . 41 £2.100 £517 £304 Cr. £2,309