King Country Chronicle Wednesday, May 20th, 1914 DISTRICT PROGRESS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 670, 20 May 1914, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Wednesday, May 20th, 1914 DISTRICT PROGRESS.

The progress of a district is reflected in no uncertain manner by the work which is being carried out by the local bodies operating throughout such district. In this connection the 1 report of the engineer to the Waitomo ' County Council submitted to last meeting of the Council makes mention of some highly interesting details of the past year's activities. The fact that a total of twenty-eight miles of metalling has been completed during the season i 3 striking proof , of the determination of the settlers to provide proper reading facilities for the district, while the further fact that provision is being made for metalling schemes which will include a total further distance of sixty miles of permanent ronding, emp'nasises the spirit of progress which is animating the district. That the Council is alive to the advantages to be gained by prompt action is indicated by the fact that quite a number of contracts have been let in order to allow of an early start being made next season, and with a continuance of this system the rate of progress throughout the district should be well maintained. The annual balance sheet of the Council has been forwarded to the Auditor-General for final approval and certificate and from the figures submitted to the last Council meeting, it is noted that the total expenditure of the Council for the year aggregated £37,138. This represents an increase of £11,667 as compared with the expenditure of the previous year, and may be taken as an indication of the solid progress being made in respect to permanent roading. A gratifying feature of the working of the Council is the ' fact that the total cost of administration for the year represents only 3{j *per cent, on the expenditure while the engineering and surveys which ia such an important feature of roads administration, represents less than lg per cent, on the expenditure. It will thus be seen that the affairs of the County are being administered with due regard that economy which is of such importance in the handling of public concerns.