TE KUITI BOROUGH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 556, 5 April 1913, Page 5

TE KUITI BOROUGH.

A YEAR'S OPERATIONS. A PERIOD OF PROGRESS. In view of the approaching end of the term of office of the present mayor and councillors of the Borough of Te Kuiti, it will be of general interest to refer to the work accomplished during the past twelve months. On May Ist last the present mayor (Mr E. |H. Hardy) was elected unopposed to the mayoral chair, and the council entered upon the second year of ita term. Dealing with the finanial position of the borough; at the end of the last financial year there was a balance in hand of the original loan of about £4OOO. Of this amount there is now left a sum of £6OO, the amount of £3400 having been expended during the year on the completion of the drainage and water services, and roads. The unexpended balance will be necessary to Bquare up such works as the completion of the septic tank and other items. Of th« original loan of £2OOO which was raised on the native township by the Waitomo County Council the ten per cent, additional amount was raised and had been handed to the borough by the county council. That amount was expended in the metalling of Rora street from the school towards the town, it being necessary to spend the money within the boundaries of the native township, which constitute the special loan area. The loan of £IBSO foe the purposes of erecting the Municipal buildings has been raised, and the amount which was taken from the District Fund account repaid. The loan of £7035 for the purpose of the electric light installation has been raised and the amount of £2200 has been paid on account of the installation, including the erection of the power house. The contract for the installation has been almost completed, and it is intended to apply for the ten per cent, additional on the loan in order to undertake extensions of the service already applied for. During the year the council decided to promote a loan of £21,000 for the purpose of carrying out necessary improvements, but in view of opposition by the ratepayers the proposal was reconsidered and a loan of £13,000 was carried. This amount was arranged with the Public Trust Office the sum of £SOOO to be obtained in May, 1913, and the balance of £BOOO twelve months later. Interest at the rate of 5 per cent, with a sinking fund of 1 per cent, is to be paid for this amount.

A further loan of £IOOO to assist in making sewerage connections has been carried, and it .is anticipated this amount will be obtained from the bank for the purpose mentioned. Both the sewerage loan of £IOOO, and the loan for the electric light will be directly chargeable to those receiving benefit from the connections, and any assistance to these services from the rates will be repaid. In connection with the District Fund account, the overdraft on March 31st, 1912, was £1074, and on March 31st, 1913, an overdraft of £794 was in existence. This means that the work of the borough was carried on during the twelve months, and the overdraft reduced by £2BO. The rates received for the period 1911-12 amounted to £897, the rate struck being one penny in the £ on the capital value. For the period 1912-13 the rates struck amount to £3263, the amount of the general rate being £1498, a l&d in the £, water rate £419, while the special rate to meet interest and sinking fund on the loan of. £27,275 amounts to £1346.

The capital value of the borough in 1911-12 was assessed at £215,600, and the revaluation made during tbe 3uc ceeding period raised the amount to £237,444, an increase of £21,844. During the year the Domain has been taken over by [the borough, and the amount of £IOO originally provided for placing the ground in order had to be redeemed. A further charge on the District Fund which will not be recurring was the sum of £250 provided for the erection of the library building. The council is at present employing twenty six men on wages, the monthly pay-sheet averaging about £2OO, exclusive of the salaries of permanent officials.