BOROUGH EXPENDITURE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5238, 13 February 1928, Page 2

BOROUGH EXPENDITURE.

ANNUAL AMOUNT EXCEEDED.

COUNCIL TO MAKE REFUND.

At the meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council on Thursday night last a letter was received from the Controller and Auditor General advising that the total of unauthorised expenditure by the council during the 1926-27 exceeded the limit allowed by the Public Revenues Act. The amount of excess was £l5 18s 9d, and this sum was required to be recovered to the district fund account and the Audit Office advised when! the refund had been effected. The Mayor (Mr W- Marshall) it might not be generally known that legal authority did not exist for subscriptions, entertainment of Ministers of the Crown, 01 even the reception of the Governor-General. Such unavoidable expenditure had to be met out of an. annual limit Of E 50 1 for unauthorised expenditure. The expenditure under that heading during the past eight years amounted to £l2l 8s sd, or a little over £l5 a year. The extra expenditure last year was incurred through the opening of the new post office and the visit of the Governor-General. The expenditure had been incurred with the council’s ■ eyes open. AH the same, it was hard that an’ average could not be struck, instead of “getting it in the neck” when a warranted occasion came along. The Mayor said that he proposed to pay the money himself intdv the town clerk, and. then if any councillor desured to make a contribution it would be gratefully received. It was no use referring thevmatter back to the. Audit Office. Cr. Edwards said he did not consider it was fair or right that the Mayor should stand the brunt of the refund, and he for one would do what he could to make up the amount, and he felt sure that other councillors would not agree to the Mayor finding the money. Cr. Hare said that if the Mayo? could manage to pay the money it would satisfy the Audit Office, and the Mayor could rest assured that would not be let down! in the matter.' Cr. Edwards said he was very' reluctant to see the Mayor pay the money in, and he moved that the town clerk should notify the councillors of the position, and make a requisition from each to .meet a proportion of the liability. It was not right that the Mayor should pay for what others had equally shared in.

In seconding, Cr. Silcock agreed with the remarks of Cr. Edwards; Similar views were shared by CrPorritt, and the resolution was carried.

The Mayor thanked the councillors, and added that the functions had been well worth while. If the wdrst came to the worst the money could be deducted from the Mayor’s honorarium. All the same, the expenditure was a definite and fair claim on the people of the town.