BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 135, 13 May 1885, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING.

Present :— The Mayor, Ors Bentley, j Grace, Larcomb, Hutchison, Park, West. The business of the meeting was as follows : — To receive balance sheet and auditors' report, consider estimate of revenue and expenditure for current year, consider Sir Julius VogePs proposition re increase of rating po»er. The Mayor said the balance-sheet would have to stand over, as although it had been prepared it had not been audited, or published as required by the Act. He then read the proposed items of receipts anil expenditure as follows : — Estimates for the year 1885-1886. — Expenditure — Maintainance, day-labour, | tools and materials, £'580; Salaries: Town Clerk, £200, Poundkeeper, £'50, Banger £20, Clerk of Licensing Bench £10, total £280 ; Departmental : Stationery Printing, £50; Advertising on all accounts, £50 ; Lighting Square and TerraceEn. 1 , i»:i 10s; Charitable Aid, including %\ «at to Hospital, £26 ; Part of purchase of Town Hall and site, £180 Lighting if ill and Custodian, £12; Accounts duo larch 31, £92 14s 7d ; Balance in haud for Public Librarv,f£7o 10s 2d; interest on anticipated overdraft, £140 ; Bank (overdraft to be paid off, £1780 15s lid; Contingencies, £120. Total £3444 10s Bd. Revenue : Licenses Hotels, £220 ; Auction, £40 ; Wholesale, £20 ; Cart, £10; Swulries, hawkers, public building, &c £10 ; total £300 ; Rents including arrears, £106; Rates in arrears, £185 17s 9d ; Amounts to be recouped from special rate, £35 ; Due for footways and fencing, £96 6s lid ; Dog registry tion, £36 ; Impounding cattle, £100 ;. Balance due from Borough reserve, £12 14s 2d ; Total, £871 18s lOd. Kate at la in the £ on £10,500, £675 ; overdraft from bank, £1600 ; Total, £3456 18s lOd. Public Library. Expenditure : Papers, periodicals, &c, £30 ; Lighting. £10 ; Salaries, &c, £35 4s ; Accounts due past year. £22 4s ; Printing, &c, £10 ; Proposed expenditure on additions to Library, £25 ; Contingencies, £36; Total, £168 Bs. I'-ivunuo. Rates in arrears, £16 11s 8.1 ; A ii. Hint in lands of Council, £70 10a 2*l ;.Tt»rul, £87 Is lOd. Rate of Id in the £on .-.111,500, £81 9«s ; Total, £168 10s 101. Cr West r<Mii a-ked the absence of the promised vote [or the Fire Brigade. He moved — That it be increased to £'50. The Mayor doubted if the Borough could afford the proposed amount. He thought the insurance companies and property - holders would assist. His sympathies were with the Brigade, but he felt that he could not recommend the sum in the present financial position of the Borough.

Other Crs thought the Brigade had incurred certain liabilities on the understanding that the grant was to be an annual one, and that refusing the vote would he an act of hardship. Cr Larcomb thought if the plant was Borough property, it should be included in the assets of the Borough. Cr Grace thought there was virtually no fire brigade, as there was no watersupply for its use. He doubted if the ratepayers would sanction 1 the vote in the present inefficient state of the Brigade. He would like to seo an effort made outside the Council to augment the funds of the Brigade. Cr West said the difficulty was in getting members of the Brigade together because of the want of plant, water, &c. Certain responsibilities had been incurred upon the faith of certain promises made, and the Brigade were anxious to fulfil their obligations. The amount of the Brigade's liabilities were about .£6O, and it was hoped with the J-50 from the Council, the balance of its indebtedness could be liquidated by private subscriptions. The Brigade wonld not entail any expense in maintenance, and wonld be serviceable in the case of emergency. Crßentley hoped the Council would assist the Brigade to discharge its liabilities, and he believed other assistance would be forthcoming from oottsa&e sources. The Mayor suggested* dnmsitßDe off say £5 eaeb. from ttihe. msmmsstea eanapanies* agencies in PafaiM3foi>n% wiadk derived large ineuHmes aami jarafi&s fircwn the Boroogls, auul issue* ]pimtakiiiiw% tt&e j Square, to wSnom tite Bci«jHfe wjasorfeviouslj of fc&e gTreatesti Seueffifc. Sneaking: for bis warm «&&„ h& knasw uibttt tdaisywould coatoWSt* if mafias! to ifi}> jwv. Cr Larvomb imaroHi* ami Cir Utemiilley seconded— Thai tJws Tmm Cfisdfc \wnflte tta the local ag^ut^ «$ tihe Mssauwinee! m> ponies, representing ft© tJ^u^fl&ftj'tJSJiftfcm of matters with re^anl to (sJSb* Kb© Brii~ gade and asking for a eoafcfifosiiiwixi ta» assist itjout of its present anM%it3(£&iftJi»Uties. The sum of *£30 woaH be included in the contiugences as a grant in aid, if found necessary, so that the prepared esfcimntes would not require to be al- ' tered. Cr Bentley referred to the item of £62 10s for lighting the lamps in the Square, for which he considered the Borough was paying too much. The Mayor suggested to leave the item as it stood, and invite tenders to see what number of lamps could be provided lor the iamo amount. There was no doubt other lamps were required in addition to those now lighted. Cr Bentley moved, and Cr Grace seconded — That tenders be invited for lighting 12 lamps in the Borough instead of 6 as at present. I Cr Larcomb suggested increasing the I wages of the foreman of works to 9«i a day. The Mayor thought it might as well stand over in the meantime, as probably larger works would betore long be inaugurated. Resolved — That the statement as read be approved of by th« Council. BOROUGH BATING. The next business was consideration of Sir Julius Vogel's proposal re alterations in rating. The Mayor read the following statement, that had been prepared by the Town Clerk, to show what effect the proposals would have on the present in« come of the Borough.

Gentlemen. — I have the honor in accordance with your instructions to report upon the effect which the change proposed by the Colonial Treasurer would have upon the ordinary revenue. I find the capital of the Borough set down in 1882 as i!250,000 ; that is after deductin? properties valued but not rateable. This value a Id in the £ equals £1041 10s, and which under the proposed plan would have been the income from rates for the last three years. The actual income derived under the present system has been i"925. £971 ss, £975, (current year), " The Rating Act, 1882 " provides ] for increase of valuation where buildings have been added, so that the rates would have slightly increased upon the amount set down. In this connection I might statethat there appears to be no provision in the Act whereby owners of property are notified of any increase made to their valuation during the three years the valuation roll is in force, nor is the opportunity given to them to object to any excess of increase. Should the Council decide to adout the Act, it would bo a good opportunity to suggest an amendment in this direction. The Mayor said he was of opinion that accepting the proposals would bo a decided improvement on the existing system. It presented many features that commended themselves as worthy of favourable conflidcnUion. After some further discussion Cr Grace proposed, and Cr Lareonib seconded —

That this Council resolves to comply with the suggestion of Sir Julius Vogel by adopting "The Rating Act, 1882," if the Act were amended to Id in the £ capital value instead of $d in the £* as at present. It was also recommended that a suggestion be embodied providing for giving notice to persons erecting buildings on tkeir properties that they would be rated to a certain amount thereon, thus giving them an opportunity to object to the proposed rate if they considered it excessive. Cr West moved and, Cr Park seconded — That the Borough remain under the present Act. • The amendment was declared carried, the voting being for the amendment Crs Hutchison, Park, West, and Bentiey Crs Grace, Larcomb, and the Mayor, for the amendment. MISCKLLANEOaS. An application by * shoe-biack was granted. It was decided to .i.lhere to the present hour of meeting, also dates of meeting as at present. The Council then adjourned.