MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3643, 26 May 1927, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL

ANNUAL REPORT

At a meeting of the Manawatu County Council held yesterday, presided over by Cr. W. E. Barber (chairman), the treasurer (Mr. K. Drew) submitted the following annual report:— The finances of the county are in a healthy condition and all ridings with the exception of Rongotea will be able to carry on next year with the same general rates as were struck last year. MAIN HIGHWAYS. The total amount expended on the Main Highways for the past year was £7930 8s 3d, an increase of £llßs Is lOd on the previous year. The Main Highways Board’s subsidy amounted to £4293 18s 4d all of which was paid by March 31 si, with the exception of £585 17s 2d, which has since been paid. In the estimates for the current year provision has been made for the expenditure of £9830, of which amount the General Account wall have to provide £3536, and the Awahou Riding £396. The Main Highways subsidy amounts to £5898. The engineer’s estimates for the expenditure on various main highways are founded on assumption that the Council wishes to improve the standard of the roads by way of maintenance as far as possible without burdening the ratepayers with increased rates. The question as to what amount of construction work it is desirable to do out of loan moneys has to be decided by the Council, but in the annual estimates forwarded to the Main Highways Board, a request for £5200 has been made for the completion of the Sandon-Bulls road. HOSPITAL LEVY. Owing to the increased amount required for hospital levies tor the current year, it will be necessary to make a slight increase in this rate. A rate of one farthing in the £ will be required. GENERAL RATES. The amount of General Rates struck last year was sufficient to meet demands, with the exception of the Rongotea Riding, and if this riding is to carry out the engineer’s programme for the current year a very substantial increase in its general rate will require to be made unless other means for relief are • found. Practically all roads in this riding are riding roads. When the Main Highways system came into force and the Council declared all .Main Highways as main countyroads and a charge on the General Account, this riding got very little relief and has had to pay its share on a valuation basis, towards all the main roads the other ridings were relieved of. Briefly, this riding has still got its old responsibilities and liabilities and has had to take over its share of a greatly increased expenditure as well. I would suggest that the Council consider the question of declaring the Rongotea-Longburn road a main county road as a means of relief. TRAMWAY. The receipts for the year were £2684 8s 7d, and the payments £4987 18s lid, showing a debt of £2303 10s 4d. Of this amount, '£6so was for the purchase of a locomotive, and £258 10s for sleepers, which should be considered as capital expenditure. As the Council is faced with providing a goods shed and engine shed at Sanson, I cannot see the present year passing without another debit balance being shown. I would point out that although the volume of haulage is as heavy on the tramway as in former years, owing to the motor lorry traffic taking all the best paying freight oVer the roads, the receipts are greatly reduced and the opportunity to show a satisfactory' position at the .end of the year is very small. This is not peculiar to the tramway alone. STONE-CRUSHER. . For the year the stone crushing plant dealt with 10,552£ cubic yards at a working cost of £3499 2s Sd, or 6/7.6 per cubic yard. SILVER PINE OPERATIONS. The total receipts were £2700 0s lOd, and the expenditure £2358 4s 5d showing a credit of £341 3s 7d. Stocks on hand and outstanding accounts amounted to £2OO. LICENSES. The amount collected for licenses was as follows: Drivers’ £365 10s lOd; heavy traffic tax £B2B 8s 9d. . GENERAL. The total amount of general payments for the ensuing year is estimated at £21,467 ss, and the total general receipts at £10,263 10s, leaving £11,203 15s to be provided out of rates and subsidy, equal to £4 15s 7d per £IOOO of valuation.