WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1920, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

TREASURER’S REPORT.

The following report, was received at Tuesday’s meeting of the Council: — Sir and Gentlemen,— As rtilb'ther triennial period is drawing to a i blose, Hiid a geiieral election of fiieinbcfs will take place in November, I beg to submit for your information some general remarks on the finances of the Council, as aiso some comparative references to the finances of neighbouring Cddhty Cbdncils disk-barging similar public obligations to those) which fall to the lot of this Cdhricil. Of the four West Coast County Counfcils it is interesting to record their total revenue; as disclosed in the Government tliife b'ook for the financial year i9lB-1919. The figures are : £ Duller 13,109 Inangahua 11,312 Grey ; 16,-235 Westland ... ••• 10,553

Of this revenue, and in regard to expenditure out of same for public works, Buller Spent. £ldl9, of 14.5 pbf cent; Inangalnia, £1095 or 9.6; Grey, nil; arid Westhtffd £3179 or 31.2 per cent. On maintenance, Buller spent £3858 or 29.5; Inangahua, £4616, or 40.8; Grey, £11,489 or 70.9; Westland, £3,356, or 33 per cent. The dinin' dn the reveriiie for Hospital and Charitable Aid maintenance was hs follows:—Biiller £1,878 dr 14.3 per cent of revenue; Inangahua £2OOO or 17.6; Grey £1,966 or 12. i; Westland £2440 dr 23.1 per edit.

In regard to ddniinistratioh, the expenditure was Buller £1721 or 13.1 per cent of revenue; Inangahua £1396 or 12.3; Grey £1447 or 8.9; iVesbland £992 or 9.4. Buller had an administrative and clerical staff of four at a cost of £768 ; Inangahua five at- a cost of £780; Grey two at a cost of £404; and Westland two at a cost of £407. In regard to road staff, Buller had 11 employed permanently at a cost of £2,057, Inangahua 4 at £574, Grey 19 at £3,416 and Westland 5 at £892. The following table gives a comparative statement of Assets and Liabilities : County Assets Liabilities £ £ Buller 5649 12,796 Inangahua 4279 19,373 Grey 4069’ 12,296 Westland 8100 5,885 In regard to rating the following gives the rates struck and (lie amount collected from the ratepayers:— Buller s : (d on unimproved values, £8176.

Inangahua 4jd on unimproved value general property, 4d on unimproved property, and id special fire rate, £5,391. Grey 2jd on capital value, £5,291. Westland lid on capital value, £3,883.

Tiie foregoing suggests the question of rating on unimproved values in Westland County, and there is some suggestion of a move to promote a petition asking for a poll on the question. Some remarks on the proposal will therefore lie not out of place. The principal of rating on unimproved values is popular because it omits to tax “a man’s labor” by not taking into account his improvements. But other considerations have to be taken into account namely land values and the basis of land values for town and country binds. Whatever system of rating is adopted whether annual, capital or unimproved values, the local body requires to raise the same sunt. Therefore if six farthings on the capital value will give £4;000 of revenue, to collect the same amount on the unimproved, value, a rate must lie struck per pound to produce the required sum. With regard to the valuation' current in the Westland County it was made as for a capital basis, and in setting down unimproved values there is very little uniformity, and for practical purposes to strike ah equitable rate the unimproved valuations at present recorded are not fair. Another factor of the unimproved principle is that with so many townships in the County where there are numerous sections carrying improvements in buildings etc., the unimproved values of such sections are at present recorded at nominal sums, and if these properties where exempt from their improvement values, the fate from them would be infinitestimal. The difference would hfive to be made good by the country lands. Let me illustrate this with some Riding cases:— Dillmans Riding—A hotel now paying £l2 odd in capital value rates, would on unimproved value pay only Is Bd.

Stafford Riding—A .store rioiv paying £2 10s would pay Is 4d unimproved value.

Arahura Riding—A dwelling paying £1 15s now would pay Is Bd. Ivanieri Riding—A store paying £1 10s would pay Is Bd. Kokatahi Riding—A stor'd paying £2 13s would pay 3s 4d. Rimu Riding—A hotel paying £3 15s would pay Is Bd. Totara Riding—A dairy factory instead of paying i'G lss 3d would paly Is Sd.

Okarito Riding—A dairy would drop from £6 to 5s Id. Okuru Riding—An improved ten acres would tall from £ls 10s to 3s 4d. As to increases, these, would fall on the settlers generally. There could be no relief for them -with unimproved values as at present. Their rates would mount up. In no ease could they expect material relief. A few examples: Dillmans Riding, 60 acre block, capital value rate £1 12s Scl; unimproved value £1 10s sd. Stafford Riding, 102 acres, £6 3s 9d and £6 Is lOd. Arahura Riding, 28 acres, £1 17s Id and £2 7s sd. Kanieri Riding, 51 acres, £3 4s Id and £1 14s 6d. Kokatahi Riding, 700 acres, £7O ip.s and £94 15s 9d. Rimu Riding,' 92 acres, £5 6s 6d and £6 4s 6d. Totara Riding, 737 acres, £47 17s and £59 4s 3d. Okarito Riding, 470 acres, £l3 2s 6d and £ls 18s 2d. Okuru Riding, 250 acres, £4 17s 6d and £5 16s 4d. Under the present valuation the suggested change in the system would be all to the benefit of the townships, and the country settlers would have to make good the difference. When the new valuation is available the subject might

bo lookbei into again, but for aii equitable treatment of the positidii over the whole County the capital rating system should stand meantime.

At the end of the last March period members were supplied with particulars of the year’s transactions, as well as the Riding expenditure. The position is not changed materially since then. Members have the monthly returns ot Riding expenditure, and will note that the volume is maintained. At the end of this financial year the Council is to revert to the three Ridings system, and this will he a relief to. some of the districts financially, otherwise differential rating would have td bo imposed which would be rather a hardship under all the circumstances. Members should take into consideration the increased cost of Hospital and Charitable Aid maintenance This Infs goad up from £1325 in 1914 to £3410 in 1920, and there does not appear to bo any immediate prospect of a decrease. Quite the contrary in fact, as the new valuation will tend to increase the Council’s quota. The County has substantial representation on the Board, and with that determining voice should exercise greater coritrol in repard td the expenditure, "The levy is a great drain on the rates—this year it will be over, fifty per cent—and the ratepayers who miss that expenditure oil the roads naturally complain. With the present high levy for Hospital and Charitable Aid maintenance there can be very little hope of relief in regard td the fates, and the Council which levies the rates has to bear tlie hritfft of the complaint as to where the money goes. There is some expectation of relief Horn an increased subsidy from the Government this year, but with the Board assuming wider responsibilities from time to time the general volume of expenditure will be so increased as to absorb the improved subsidy without immediate relief to the contributing local bodies. The expenditure by the Westland Hospital Bdard lias such an important bearing on this Council’s financial position that the matter cannot be too closely considered if relief in the lately increased rates' is td be accorded the ratepayers of the County. Unless a definite check is enforced through the voting strength the County’s representatives have, the system must come to a dead lock as the Council should not be called upon to pay a greater sum than that now levied which on a percentage basis is practically twice as much as that paid by each of the three other West Coast Counties. This on the face of it does not appear to be sound administrations on the part of the Westland Hospital Board.