The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, JAN. 19th, 1922. COUNTY FINANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, JAN. 19th, 1922. COUNTY FINANCE.

•V warnincr voice was raised at the County Council meeting on Tuesday afternoon by Cr. Jeffries as to the drift in the finances and the necessity of members being awake to the position. The warning was a timely one, for the reason that a. stringency in finance is general, and the local bodies ! of this district can hardly help tq escape from the toils also. So fa r the local bodies appear to have done veiy well in meeting their monthly engagements and the members are to be congratulated on the sound administration. Neither has the overdraft debt been unduly high—which is also a very satisfactory feature., Mr Ward, Chairman of the Council, in follow ing Mr Jeffries said he felt sure that members | were watchful of the position and realised the position. The overdraft of the Council appears to be approximating the bank limit, though it would appear this is not an unusual circumstance. Of late the Council has met the cost of the lorry, over £I,OOO out , pf revenue, and also had pxtra expense

in regard to road repairs, particularly in the Kokntahi and Kauieri districts. But for this extraordinary expenditure, the overdraft would be within more reasonable limits. The financial year is drawing to a close, and the Council took the wise course of asking the Finance Committee to bring down a special report on the subject of finance with a view to determining where economies might be made. No doubt savings can be made in different directions and it will be necessary to curtail where possible. Revenue is likely to be affected by the genera] stringency, and the point will crop up in the near future, what will be the rate for the next year. l liis is governed to a great extent by the hospital levy. Upwards of £3,000 has to be found each year from the County ratepayers to carry on the hospitals in the distiict, and * here is a branch of the expenditure, where the members of the County Council have no direct voice. Now that the County has been fixed with three Ridings,, instead of nine, it will be possible in a more equitable way to enforce deferential rating. By this means not only will the hospital levy, be shouldered on the districts possessing the rateable value, but those districts requiring new works on district roads will have to find the money out of rate revenue. Certainly a number of the principal roads have been declared main roads of late and these will have to be maintained out of the general fund, but on the by-roads much expenditure is called for from time to time, and the residents will have to provide the amount by rates. When this competition takes place the position of members will not be so comfortable, as the districts carrying the higher rate ■ w.ili want to know the reason why their representatives do not keep the rate levy in keeping with the riding carrying the lowest burden. Differential rating should be some aid to economy in the riding expenditure, and in the end should afford some relief in regard to the general taxation. The Council at its next ordinary meeting will no'doubt deal with the whole subject in n comprehensive way, and as has been remarked at the outset, it is wise to take the step well in advance of contingencies which might arise now at any moment. Forewarned is to be forearmed for all possible eventualities.