WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 6 May 1924, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

TREASURER’S REPORT.

Treasurer’s report on receipts anil expenditure for 1923-1924, and apportionment of revenue to separate ridings for 1924-1925. 1 lnivc the honor to report in accordance with the resolution of the Council on the finances of me past year, and to submit the following for your guidance in connection witn the apportionment of revenue for the current financial year, in terms of the provisions of. the Cunties Act:

The financial year which closed on M:wch 31st. hist gave the following general revenue, exclusive ol special grants:— RECEIPTS.

The general revenue under the above headings fur the previous year was £13,423 lOs Od. The receipts on account of road grants from the Government were C 2115 S lid. The gross revenue for the year was £15,187 4s 3d as against CIB.IOI 7s 2d the previous year, which included £3.312 loan moneys. EXPENDITURE. The following supplies ail analysis of the expenditure under the various sillsdivisions set out in the Counties' Act: (a) —General Debts and Inabilities. £ s. d. Repayment on Loans Interest on Loans 313 15 10 Interest on Rank Overdraft M 19 0

1.125 15 4 The expenditure the previous year under the above headings was £BB3 13s Sd. (b) Contributions under various Acts:

The previous year expenditure for the above was £1,224 Ids lid. (d.) .Haiti Roads:

Rust year's expenditure on the above service's was £(!,(! It) 7s 3d. Summary of General Rxpenditiirc: ,C s. d.

The general revenue shown nliove was £13.341 los -hi and the general expenditure in the preceding paragraph £13,518 8s 3d leaving a dehit of £l7O 13k Id for the year. SHIVA HATH RIDING AC'COT'NJiS. FOR TIIK TWELVE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 3Jst. 1021 The followin*t; is tin* Separate Hiding Accounts for the past financial year.

Net cr. halanee. £llO Is 3d. Average expenditure per ,inonth availahle, C2OG 3s Od. Average expendflure per month, actual, £l9l 11s 3d. RIDING MONTHLY AVERAGES. Riding Availahle Actual

With regard to the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year, an. average perid may he looked for, with this difference tha.t there will he some relief in regard to the maintenance of the Kumara-Ross main road, now a District Highway, and it is hoped to he possible to enforce the motor licensing by-law at no distant date. Taking a conservative view of possible revenue under this heading, and for the present year at all events not disturbing the rate per pound to be struck, the income for tlie year, it is anticipated, will total £15,090. After a year’s experience of the Alain Highways Act in operation, and the receipts to accrue from motor licensing fees, it might he possible to review the rating favourably, but at this stage a reduction would not lx? politic. With regard to the expenditure, it is regretted that there is again very little relief from the Hospital Board levy. Last year the Council paid £2319, which absorliejl not less than 15 per cent, of the collected general rate. This year the demand is £2IOO. This is a reduction of £159 on the year only, a very small amount indeed considering the high expenditure which has been going on now for some years ostensibly to produce economies which i should result in a lessened levy upon the local bodies. The Board, too, now

receives a greater proportion of subsidy from tiie Government. But for that fact the levy this year would have been higher than last year. ‘When it is recalled that ten years ago the levy paid was £1325 as against £2160 now demanded, the ratepayers will see where a large amount of the rates go year by year. The expenditure for the year it is hoped to keep within £12,200 by restricting expenditure in excess of Government grants which it is expected | will he on a more liberal scale this year, and so assist in saving local expenditure. On (these estimates there will be £2SOO available for district roads, less Cl7o deficit on tbe General Account, or a net amount of £2025. In addition there is a credit of £llO m the Separate Hidings Accounts, so that there is a total of £2705 for the Hidings this year as against £2475' last year. Allocated on rating values the £2625 would be apr° rt ' ns lows:— Northern Hiding Central Hiding Soutlieru Riding I ‘- U £2625 With the balance carried lorward there would l>e available the following for expenditure Northern Hiding £IBO as against I £378 last vear. Central Hiding £O7O as against £O-3 last year.

Southern Riding -CI2UI as i.irninst .01171 hist year. Tutsi 1 sis against £-•'•' ' !,st year.

This will permit of sm average expenditure of £2HO per month, as a gainst an actual £lO3 last financial period. , , A vear ago the rating was reduced hv one farthing. As explained above it would not he wise to reduce further nt present, hut under the extra revenue to lie reeived from msiiii roads and motor traffic. the position eoiild he reviewed in the light of actual expeti,„,v in twelve months’ time. There was some suggestion of diilerential rating. hut as hath the Northern and Central Hidings will provide the hull: of the increased receipts from the new revenue expected, it would he premature just now to make any alteration.

As regards the main road from Unmara to Ross a large amount of work was done last year in renewing bridges and culverts. The culverts where possible were renewed in concrete. A

special grant id promised for the bridges, and assistance is being rendered also in regard to flood damage on the section of the road in question. Tt is hoped with this limmcial assistance that the section of road will not

prove an undue burden to the Council. During the year a road roller and crushing plant were purchased. The latter was paid for out of general ievenue, as also one third of the cost ol the roller. The balance of the cost of the roller will he brought to debit this year. The elfective use ot these machines should reduce the general cost of maintenance (jonsiderahly. I lie lorry lias worked to great advantage during the year, enabling work generally to he overtaken. It is the "lii'iion of the Overseer, now that the Council has the main roads in care, that a second lorry could he worked to excellent advantage, producing much better mails at a®greatly reduced cast. Tt would not he possible this linancial year to purchase any additional plan! out of ordinary revenue, as tin' chargestill to he brought to debit for act-ru-ing liabilities on the roller are sis much as has been provided for in the net’, estimates.

In respect to possible help tinder t lnMain Highways Act. a suggestion hnheen put forward to tar-seal the main road from Arnhurn to Knneri, and the Highway- Hoard lias been asked upon what conditions financial help would In. given; also for skeleton i.pocilit atiuus and pnrtinlars of plant for the "or!: In the ease of the Wcothille County, .. grant of CJ.Ooit has keen made lot such work, and was availed of very readily by the local ho-.l'-. If the let-m----are satisfactory the matter could hr gone into fully, as with so much wet weather and scour, tar-sealing wo.il l help to hold the surface and avoid t lie necessity of replacing material after heavy rainfall. Tar .sealing appears to he clfc*-tive also in holding the surface of the road from rutting by heavy, last motor traffic which does so much damage to tin* host laid macadam roads in wet mid' frosty weather. (I'enerally the linaueial position of the Council is satisfactory. Although a reduction was made ill the rating last year, the period closed with very little variation in the net debit in the statement of balances, ibis notwithstanding that a very considerable amount of mail work was done all through the district. Several works, notably Kokatahi liliilge. I’otersen Itoad. and the repayments on account of loans out of the general fund, absorbed a considerable amount ol

money. The payments for the works will not he recurring this year. If lielocal revenue is maintained as for the past two years, to he supplemented by extra revenue as hoped for above, the financial position should continue easy, and lie without anxiety. There is the hope also that sooner rather limn later the Government, will give favourable consideration to the matter of replacing revenue now absorbed by the Forestry Department. This help combined with a reduction in the hospital levy would ensure the ratepayers receiving a further reduction in their rales when tin? estimates for next year are being made. D. J. EVANS, Treasurer. County Otliee, Hokitika. .May Ist. 1924.

£ S. d. General and .Mining Mates 6.072 HI 0 liail/ji* Uuuivl Hates Subsidy and Interest on 620 • i 1 Hates 68.; 1 2 Goldtiekis Hevemio 2,726 8 8 i-ees, lines and penalties HI 1-1 0 l’ubiiean’s Licenses oOG 11 0 Rents- and Refunds Go 18 't Works’ Compensation Act Motor, Slaugliter Licenses •1 0 0

81 0 0 Thirds, hand h'uml 2G3 19 G Halves, Royalties’ Fund 1,890 1 ■l Contractors’ deposits .... 90 0 0 Miscellaneous Refunds ... 80 1 0 Ratepayers’ lontrihutions 0 b 0 Clerical assistance l i u 0 Sale id' pipes i ■1 0 0 Motor running Ices 131 10 0 13,311 10 1

£ s. Charitable Aid Act 2.319 3 9 Ilni'lmur Hoard Mates .... (■SO ‘ 1 Alcoholic I.i(|tiois Act ... 1(1 12 in Workers’ Compensation Act 78 Id 9 FSubsidv to Lit'orary Institutcs 28 0 0 Iiatir.fi Act and liebate 1ST 9 "•» Electoral Act 213 12 0 Miscellaneous Acts Mo 19 in West Coast- Exhibition ... •jrto 0 0 Contractors deposit *!c. ... in 0 0 3,817 1 8 In the previous year £3,93."> Is 3d was spent under the above headings. ( c) Counties Act Admin list rat ion : £ S. d. Chairman and mem hers ... 231 12 0 Ollice salaries 73(1 10 n Ollico charges 181) 0 (i Printing, ndvt. and stilt- ' ionerv 87 11 11 Trap-hire !) in 0 1271 7 r,

e s. d. Purchase of read plant 1 .1 m 0 0 Trap-hire 17 its 1. l’rintinit. ailvt. and stationcry 107 it (l 15 ail wav bridges 102 K! 8 Telephone guarantee •1 0 <» Motor lorry account o:s:t S) .1 Maintenance and salaries . oT road stall' - ,lt;n 11 1 K-n-ess on road grants, eto. expend, 2 ,82o 17, 10 , ' •l 0

(si) Clonoral <l<“ 1:ts I.Uo 15 •! ('•) Contributions under Arts 3.817 1 S <«•) Counties Act .. 1271 7 5 (cl) Main 1’oads ... 7,301 ■i 0 13,518 8 5

Killing Alio. Kxpendi. Bulani'C North 378 liSl « -1 <lr. 3 (1 4 Cent. 923 838 IS 9 or. G4 1 3 South 1174 1094 13 3 or. 79 0 4 2473 2331 13 9 3 01-1 143 7 7

£ s. (i. £ s. cl. Northern .... .. 31 10 0 31 In 3 Central .. 7G 18 •1 71 11 r, Southern .. 97 1G 8 91 ■1 G •JOG f> 0 19-1 11 3