THE PUTARURU RIDING.

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 154, 16 October 1919, Page 2

THE PUTARURU RIDING.

Finances Discussed. At the Matamata County Council mooting on Friday, Cr. Rollolt- dealt at length with the figures of the work done in the Putnruru Riding, and said he was prepared to allow an accountant to go into the accounts, and he would prove that, his portion ol the Riding was not in debt, hut should have a surplus of £2OOO. Ho was prepared to staild by that, and if he was wrong he would apologise, retire, and resign from the Council. For the first three years not £l5O had been spent in the southern portion of the Riding. Cr. Rollett also referred to the statement made by Cr.-Barnett at the previous meeting that lie had always kept his overdraft down to about £2OO. Cr. Rollett stated that when he (Cr. Rollet) joined the Council the Putaruru Riding was in debt to the extent of £lOBl. The speaker stated that it was about 5.1 years since Maeraetai was taken, from Taupo, and included in the Matamata County. Since April, 1914, the sum of £4381 was collected in rates from the southern portion of the Riding. With the exception of the last 18 months, the whole of the money collected has been spent elsewhere in the Riding; not where it was collected from.

Cr. Rollett then referred to the chairman’s previous statement that a certain road was but “ a one-man road.”, -He slated that the road was a through road which, although but one man lived on 'it, served quite a number of settlers. He was convinced that the chairman was out in his geographical knowledge. He affirmed that the greater portion of the rates had been spent in the northern end of the Riding. .

A general discussion on County finance followed Cr. Rollett’s remarks, and it was decided that the Ridings should be charged with the overdraft interest pro rata, and that the expenditure be restricted to within ten per cent, above the estimates. Cr. Pohleii said lie would like to see ■ alt the Councillors work together, and reduce the overdraft to say £2OOO. At present the overdraft was too high. Cr. Rollett asked how this was possible, when one Riding was about £3OOO in debt and still had several gangs working in the northern part of it. He had not asked for any new work since, the road referred to. The engineer suid the contract for, the work now being carried tftVt 1 ' was let months ago. It was jArved that - one lot of rates to come from the Putaruru Riding would about balance the accounts. Cr. Rollett said he wanted some, of this spent in his portion of the Riding. Unless he got this lie was inclined to decide to move at next meeting that all works in the Riding he brought to a standstill.