COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1933, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL

TREASURER’S HALF-YEARLY , ' . . REPORT. , v ' !i SEPTEMBER. 30th,. 1933. •uma* ' t ’ ' ' | The following report A-as . submitted to thc. Fmniice Gomjhittee of the Coun-,-on; Tuesday- bight':—. ''. /!lnconnectloii with the lialf-yearly nceounts • for (the period -ended September 30, 1933, the period opened with u. net credit balance, of £l7O 11s 2d. The -half Jyear closed -..with a net credit balance of £567 12s. ’Hie net. credit balance for the corresponding period last; year was £4oo'6s sd. The financial was .therefore satisfactory.' It was not the purpose to build ’credit balances at the expense j of the. ratepayers j but rather to keep -the rates at a reduced limit which wtmtd enable' the - Council -to meet its pSylfients without inconvenience, and | atf'the’sanm time avoid unnecessary , for overdraft charges. 'Tiy2 f: 'fatepa.vcrs have I'esponded well, apprecia.ting the action of the Council in keeping the rating .lew at- .limit. Councillors ' wfre supplied with a .comparative statement laMt August, showing the rates collected;! under the rebate system for two years? hiOf the general rate 58.4 pef cent Mias'.paid within the period and 73.5 per (cent of the’ mining rate. | time further rates had been showing a disposition to

assist wlitli iroiady payment. 'There wore, however, a number of cases still in . arrears with more than one, and some with more .than two years owing. In accordance with the directions of the finance committee payment would be pressed for now that the limit of. time was eyhausting. A prompt all-round payment would assist in still further reducing the rate levy if the ratepayers would realise the position; but unless all meet the demand with promptitude, it did not appealpossible to consider any further'lowering of the rate. If the ratepayers would regard their obligations in the matter and co-operate with ready payment, it, would be quite possible to further ease the rate burden. The road expenditure was heavier than expected, due to the ivet season and recurring flood damage. It had been possible to assist the northern and central ridings with available unemployed labour, and- both districts ■ kept within the allocation. In the southern riding, where the unemployed labour wa s not so readily available, the monthly allocation was- exceeded, and about 70 per cent o ftlie year’s allowance expended. Of £1024 allocated. £3Bl 13s lOd is available for the-half year, and this will he. fully required for the Southern Riding. The following are the details:—

Separate Rid ng Account.

Per six months ended, September 30

Average'expenditure per month avail able £BS 6s 8d; actual £lO6 17s 8.

Monthly Riding Accounts

Particulars of Accounts.

Unemployment under No. 5 Scheme had been reduced considerably, but under mining subsidy there had been an increase in number, many men coning

from outside the district. On accoun. of, unemployment, £2746 Is 7d was

paid out under No. 5 Scheme for labour, and £IB2O 7s 6d for mining sub sidies, total £4566 9s 1 for the bal year. Farmers paid in £67 14s 7d under “over the fence” Scheme, and this was repaid to the Board. To main highways maintenance there was contributed £846 16s 6d, and on secondary highways £286 13s Gd

Against the latter, £l9B 0s 6d was re ceived iti subsidies. The maili rOad payments were £1062 0s 7ci. The payments on district roads were £641 6s 2d; railway bridges £46 IDs Od. The expenditure On account of Government grants was £1630 IBg 7d, and the payments received £763 los Bd. The cost of the removal of the bodies at Okarito cemetery to a place of safety was £76 3s od, and the contributions made by appreciative residents, £6 18s od. The outlay for the mining scheme under the executive for plant, equipment and supervisor’s expenses, was £3lO 7s 6d. Hospital levy paid for the term was £893 14 s 2d. Wages tax for the period, £95 4s od.

' The land fund returned-£149 14s Id and royalties £464 2s 3d. all of which was spent; on earmarked works.

The goldfields revenue was £1276 12s 4d for the half year, and licensing (publicans) revenue, £437-12s Od. Heavy Traffic fees £1.78 3s 3d. Cash earnings of lorries and plant realised £4ll 12s 8d while £249 T7s' 8d was spent on motor lorries accounts, and - £57 9s 8d on plalit (final of power grader purchase).

Rates collected were .-—General £2309 I.ls sd:-mining, £363 1 65 '5(1; harbour. £452 13s 4d ;■ total, £3,125 15s 2d. The full subsidy available, £soo'was received. , j

The 'general -financial position; therefore, may be considered' satisfactory,

Lorry Replacement

Tile Council had been considering the matter of lorry replacement. To procure, another “light” lorry would cost in the region of £420 to £470, according to type. Councillors are aware there are two Duplex -or r heavy lorries, and there are about £2OO worth of spare parts on hand, which would have to be sacrificed-if the tarries were disposed of. . Thofifst Duplex cost £1039 in Nov-. ombo}*, 1921, and the. second ■ £1022 in June, 1926. : The first, is in' the garage at -Kanieri and would require an expenditure , of about £25 to place it on the road again. It has been suggested that .pneumatic tyres might be placed "oh .the lorry in use to ensure economical running. On this 'point, the motorman (Mr Randall) stated -that, . regardng the fitting of -pneumatics to the wheels

he was sure they- would increase the efficiency of the machine. The ad-

vantage would he immediately noticed in petrol consumption find a minimum of breakages. The speed coukl be increased without damage in any way from 15 to 20 miles an hour as against fan average of 8 miles an hour. At present the cost would be in the vicinity of £IOO for the four wheels complete with tyres and tubes. County iworlc /demanded a heavy lorry for certain classes of work which a light machine cannot perform, and as .they have a large quantity of spare parts on hand, it 'appeared that No 1 lorry with pneumatics would perform the work efficiently for several years yet.

The Council had a third truck, the “light” Chevrolet, which cost £353, August, 1930. The motorman reported that the machine was givng good service, and was in good order. The lorry was three years old, and he considered it would not give any bother for another three years -at least. From the records kept it had been ascertained that the Duplex worked 68.} -days during the half year for a petrol consumption of 684 gallons, 'and 25 of oil. The Chevrolet operated on 114 days, using 630 gallons of petrol and 17-}, oil.

The question of placing pnliematic tyres on the Duplex at a cost of about £IOO was therefore recommended. The two lorries should suffice under present '(conditions. The expenditure and work tinder Government grants was curtailed considerably, and tile roads generally were in a very fair condition. If the Duplex were a little better 1 equipped the requirements of the. Council for the present should be well met. If the pneumatics -proved the success expected, then the spare Duplex could ba put in commission again later as circumstances warranted. This course would avoid sacrificing the plant now much below its value, and paying a substantial sum for a new truck. Until the spare parts in stock were absorbed it would be false economy to dispose of the parts for a nominal sum. During the half year the two lorries earned £lO9 12s 6s in cash for work performed in connection with grants.

'1938. Riding Alioc. Expend. Balance Northern 84 37 0 1 46 19 11 Central 190 73 1 7 116 18 5

Southern f50 531 46 218 15 C £1024 ; £641 6 2 £382 13 1! Balance £382 13 10

Hiding Allocation Aetna Northern 7 0 0 6 3 4 Contrail 16 16 8 . 12 3 7 Southern 62 10 0 88 10 L £85 6 S £106 17 t