THE KNAPDALE ROAD BOARD.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 401, 17 October 1884, Page 2

THE KNAPDALE ROAD BOARD.

' TO THK BDITOB. Sib, — Some of, the ratepayers are anxious ■ to know the reason why this Board still con- 1 tinues to keep its accounts in the manner it does. " Would it not be more advantageous, they say, to keep separate accounts of the reoeipts and expenditure during the year for each subdivision f " A person then examining the books could understand them, which is very far from b«ing the case at present. - For instance, when monies are allocated by the: Board for the. separate subdivisions," ."the" "^ Engineer is requested to draw up pianVandT specifications for works required. He does so, and at the same time gives an estimate of their cost. This probable cost is taken by the Board as a basis an which they found their calculations. Tenders are called for/F the works, and it is found that the .Engineer £ over-estimates the cost of the works dn eacb7i : subdivision,, by say LSO, when the tendem. , are opened. This surplus money ii not ex- ' x pended in the subdivision fof : which'it wasiallocated, but is placed in the books, credited to the. general .fund, and in too many instances has gone for works of no '' '-practiaM " : * use to the subdivisions in which the rates were raised. We do not of course like to be neglected in this respect, " ;aiid, at thesams we should like to know how much money has in this manner been diverted from its-own .channel: Perhaps some of the mem T ,j bers who are well versed in the affairs of the ~ Board will enlighten iis~on the subject. A. few issues back* in a report of ,the Knapdal« Road. Board, was made 1 of one of the members moving in the direction mentioned ab'bvej but it seems ittiiaVe been shelved for want of sufficient interest. It would appear that the subject should seriously occupy the attention, of; jmembers- as being :ot(Bt>m&* prhcWalimportance b&th'to themselves Smk ' tho subdivision that they separately represent. If members of the Board do not know: how,, much money has been taken from. the. available funds" of the differens hxiV. divisions, i.e., the money in excess of the Engineer's estimate of works required, aijd_. placed to the general fund, the only satisi factory way they can settle the matter vfi.Wbe. to keep the accounts separate, not necessarily that the 'money should be expended when the ro:uls do not require it, but 1 " more as a reCeienep, so that a»y memberj desirous of knowing what, money h_as been , taken from his" subU i vision, can ascertain kfe I once by turning to the books of' the ' ;Board» ; The practice that has been carried an in the past renders it very doubtful whether any 6E the mambersiof the Board could tell exactly how their subdivisions stand in relation to the general expenditure of "the Board. The suttleis arc all agreed that wo, eonld not have a better sqfc ; ;of) men; thr\u have, got at present on the Board, b,at the best 'man re- ■ quire a slight hint now and again just to keep them hv romembrance of. their:, earthly origin. It is therefore to be hoped that some of the members will take the matter up, and bring the subject before the Board shortly. Such a step would without doubt receive tha support of the majority of the ratepayr^, auit .be of service ;to the members of^the;'; Board as a reference at. the aame tioaa. Toi write more at present on the subjeo* would! be trespassing too much on youj valuable; space.— l am* ka., , "" ' ■ '•' ' ; - '■'-■■•■■• v EBM Ab Chatton, Oct. 10, 1991.