SLIGHT INCREASE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3263, 14 May 1943, Page 5

SLIGHT INCREASE

PAEROA BOROUGH RATE

LEVY OF 10|D IN THE £

COUNCIL’S CREDIT BALANCES

A slight increase of the total rate for the borough of fd in the £ was approved at Thursday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council when the estimates for the year 1943-44 were before it. Although the rate has been slightly increased the estimated expenditure will exceed the estimated receipts by some £1752 4s 4d but the. council considers the position to be quite safe due to the present substantial credit balance in the General Account. The rate for this year will be 10sd in the £ with a consolidated loan rate of 5 13-16 d in the £ on lands in that portion of the Ohinemuri County subject to a special loan rate. In adopting the estimates it was .agreed that the following rates would be necessary for the year 1943-44:— General rate of —2 d in £ Hospital rate of —- —- —- 2 §d in £ Street lighting rate of -- id in £ Conversion loan rate of —- 51 din £ Total -- — -- -1 0« d in with a consolidated loan rate of 5 13-16 d in £ on lands in that portion of the Ohinemuri County subject to a special loans rate. The report on the estimates continues :— “The position of the various rates suggested to be struck’ as compared with the previous year is as follows: General rate — — No alteration Hospital rate --- -- increase .Street lighting rate id increase Conversion loan rate No alteration “The net result is that the total rates suggested to be struck will be fd increase on last year. General Rate

"Owing to the increases in other rates and the substantial credit balance in the general account it is suggested that the general rate remain the same as last year and every effort be made to conserve expenditure ■ out' of the general account. The following shows the general rate struck for the last four years:— 1939- — -- -2 H-32d in & 1940- — 2|d 1941- < - - -- 2id m 1942- -- -- -- 2d in £ “However, this' may be only a temporary relief and when conditions are again normal this rate may have to be restored. “Provision has been made for £2150 to be spent on Public Works as .-.against £2700 voted last year, but only £2438 was spent last year. An amount .of £1365 is also included for the purchase of the new tire engine. ’ Hospital Rate “The estimated levy from the Thames Hospital Board is £1294 6s’ 5d an increase of £lBl 10s Idl on last year’s levy. The rate of lid struck last year produced £62 short of the levy but by utilising the credit balance and the special grant of £l5 12s 10d from the Government this was sufficient. The credit balance is' now only £H 2s 5d and there will be no grant from the Government this year. An increase in the rate of id in the £ is therefore necessary. Even this increase is not sufficient to meet the levy from the hospital board by £l9 6s sd, but with the credit balance it is estimated that the account will be only £g 4s Od in debit at the end of the year. “This 1 year’s hospital' rate will be the highest on record for this borough. . „ x . Street Lighting Rate

“Last year the lighting restrictions permitted a decrease in this rate of id in the & but with almost all street lights now restored an increase this year will be unavoidable. However, ,by utilising the credit balance the increase suggested is only Id but in all probability the full reduction of id made last year will have to be restored next year. _ Conversion Loan Rate The conversion loan rate was increased last year- by id as the amount levied in former years was not sufficient to meet current charges and portion of the credit balance was absorbed. Even with that increase the amount produced was £l5O short of the current charges. By drawing still further on the credit balance it is suggested that this rate remain the same as last year, but an increase may have to be considered next year. •The following analysis shows the estimated receipts and payments in the various accounts for the current year:— ACCOUNTS

Receipts General — — — — 1999 10 0 State Highways ~ — 1109 7 1 Street lighting — — 309 0 0 Water — — — — 2115 0 0