FOXTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1834, 1 June 1918, Page 3

FOXTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. . A special meeting of the Borough Council was. held on Thursday evening to receive and adopt the balance-sheet and receive report of Works Committee, etc. There were present: The Mayor (Mr John Chrystall) and Crs* Walker, Hurley, Bryant, McMurray, Hannah, Kemplster, Coley* and Thompson. An apology for absence was received from Cr Henderson. BALANCE-SHEET. The audited balance-sheet for the year ended March 31st, 1918, was received back from the Audit Office. The Town Clerk said the Audit Inspector had objected to the trans- ; fer made by resolution of the Council of £IOO from the Sanitation account to the General Account on the grounds that the amount in question was collected from portion of the ratepayers for a special purpose, and could not, therefore, be used for the benefit of the whole of the ratepayers in the borough. The amount had now been transferred back to the Sanitation Account.

Referring to the balance-sheet, the Mayor said that the amount expended on the maintenance of roads, streets and drains Avas £1,109 18s sd, which Avas above the estimate, but this Avas due to an increase in wages of £BB, and other increases. Five hundred and fifty tons of Belmont metal, representing 500 yards, had been obtained at a cost of £262 10s Od, 500 yards of JaekeytoAvn metal £lB7 10s Od, and Avages £350, and carting, had brought the expenditure under this head up to £B6O. The sum of £4O had also been paid in connection Avith the LevinGreatford Railway Commission. The year commenced Avitb a debit balance on the general account of £465 19s 2d, and closed with a debit of £565 14s Id, and when the extraordinary expenditure Avas taken into consideration, he considered the position Avas very satisfactory indeed. The streets and roads at the present time compared more than favourably Avith the condition at the same time last year. Referring to the gas AVorks t the Mayor said the Toavh Clerk, had prepared a profit and loss account for the year just ended, Avhich shoAved a nett profit of £313 7s 2d, Avithout alloAving for depreciation. After deducting. £221 5s Od, representing tAVo per cent, sinking fund' on the loan, and alloAving interest Avhich had to lie paid to the bank on the overdraft on the general account, caused through the large expenditure on capital account for the gas Avorks, amounting to £23 19s fid, the net profit for the year Avas £6B 2s Sd, a position he considered very satisfactory. The trouble Avith the gasAvorks Avas that they Avere paying for capital expenditure out of revenue. Co Coley: That shouldn’t be done.

The Mayor, continuing, said the ratepayers had authorised a loan for the purpose, but owing to the rate of interest being higher than that authorised by the ratepayers, they were unable to take uptluj loan.

Cr Coley questioned the statement that 550 tons of Belmont metal, represented 500 yards. He defied anyone to prove that a yard of that metal weighed only 22c\gt. He knew it was heavier. As far as the gas works were concerned, ha did not see how they could say the position was satisfactory when over £4OO was being collected each year in rates. The balance-sheet was adopted.

RATES FOR CURRENT YEAR. The Mayor said that it was proposed to increase the general rate for the current year by one halfpenny. This was absolutely necessary. There would be a decrease of a.farthing in the special rates, so that the total rates this year would amount to 5-jd, as against sjd last year’ —an increase of a farthing.

Cr Hurley asked why the sanitation fee was to be kept the same as last year when there Avas a credit balance on this account of £l4O. It seemed folly to him to build up a large fund in the sanitation account. /

The Mayor said that provision must be. made for any extraordinary expenditure that might occur. If a reduction wex*e made this ybar it Avould be so small it xvould hax’dly he Avorth Avhile.

REPORT OF WORKS GOM--1 MITTEE.

The report of the Public Works Committee, as follows, was adopted: —A meeting was held on May Isth, when there were present the Mayor and Crs Coley, Henderson and Thompson. It was decided to make the following recommendations: —Nye Street : That the Committee cannot recommend the Council to sell any portion of Nye Street as requested by Messrs Lundquist and Andresen, as the cost of closing part of the road would make the sale unprofitable. Avenue Road; That a lamp be erected in Avenue Road near the Salvation Army Hall, and that the same be hung so fhati the light is on the footpath side of the post. Town Hall: That a fence as suggested by , the Public Works Department, be erected between the To.wn Hall and Courthouse sections, provided that the cost of same does not exceed £3O, and that the timber from the present fence he sold by tender. Tank: That the old tank at Council Chambers be offered for sale. Mr Perreau’s application; That the Committed cannot recommend that Mr Perreau’s application re building in wood in Main Street be granted, as same is not in

accordance with the borough by- ' Jaws, but that the building as at

present erected be allowed to. remain, provided that Mr Perreau erects a brick wall on his boundary line within six months. ESTIMATES. The estimate of the receipts and "expenditure for the current year, which apepar to-day in our advertising columns, were approved. ACTING-TOWN CLERK. In view of. Mr Waters, Town Clerk, shortly going into the Cl Camp, it was decided that Mrs Jennings carry on -as acting-Town Clerk until such time as it is ascertained whether Mr Waters has to go to the front or not, or until such time as the Council deems it wise to make other arrangements. BELMONT METAL. It was decided that the Public Works Committee make a test of the weight of Balmont metal, to ascertain the weight per yard.