BOROUGH YEAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 121, 24 April 1925, Page 3

BOROUGH YEAR

MAYOR ADDRESSES RATEPAYERS IMPROVED POSITION. There ■was only a moderate attendance at tlie Opera House last night, when the Mayor (Mr F. J. Nathan) /and' Several councillors and aspirants for municipal honours addressed the ratepayers. Cr A. J. Graham presided. Prior to calling upon the Mayor to speak, the chairman apologised for the absence of the Deputy-Mayor (Cr. Jackson) on account of illness. Cr. Graham said ho felt sure that the ratepayers deemed Mr Nathan worthy pf their continued confidence.

“It is pleasing to have heard a councillor of Cr. Graham’s experience so speak of my two years of office," said Mr Nathan. Continuing, he stated that he desired to thank publicly Cr. Jackson for the manner in which ho had carried out the duties of deputy-Maypr while the speaker was in Australia. Touching on the subject matter of bis address, the Mayor said that all, or nearly all, of the borough works which lie had promised to carry out had been accomplished economically—that ho would substantiate with figures. The valuation of the borough had not altered much since the last elections.

LOWEST RATES IN DOMINION. It was often stated though that the rates were bounding up und up, but as a matter of fnct in Palmerston North they were less than in any town of similar size in New Zealand. The general rate for 1922-23 at 2d in the 111 produced £18,550, of which £18,240 was collected. The rate had been reduced by id for 192425, when the amount raised was £13,930, of which £13,819 had been collected —yet, in this latter period the same amount of work had been done by the same stall and the credit was now £2BBI. This was in respect to general rates alone, of course. The £lll remaining to be collected would come in all right, for they had a town clerk who knew his job and who did it courteously and efficiently. (Applause.) It was wise, he continued, to leave some surplus for an incoming council to work on. Nothing had suffered from the economy practised, yet they had reduced the expenditure during the term by some £SOOO, as compared with tho expenditure of tho previous council. The . council employees had been given bonuses and two weeks’ holiday on full pay, in addition to statutory holidays, and this fair treatment had been well requited. Some of the items of expenditure had been: Lighting streets, £2B-00; office staff and engineering department, £11,349; employees, £12,774; street maintenance, £3500. All the departments ended up in credit, those having to be assisted out of the general fund being the reserves (£800) and tiro transit department (£400), both of which departments ended up in credit with the financial assistance just quoted. The transit department, indeed, would probably have squared itself had it, not been for the infantile paralysis epidemic. In tho previous term it had required assistance from the general fund to the extent of £I2OO. SPECIAL RATES.

Tho special rate in 1923 was to raise £14,350 —that was the class of rate which increased so very rapidly. Gas and electric light works accounted for much of it and this year they would have to collect no less in special rates than £33,308. The total rate struck for 1924-25 was £59,489 and the small amount outstanding (£177) would come in within a few months. The general rate this year, he assumed, would be the same as last year and would realise over £13,000, and there would have to be a special rate to raise about £34,000.

LOW ADMINISTRATIVE COST. By comparison with tho administrative costs of other boroughs in New Zealand Palmerston North uppeared to advantage. He quoted the following table referring to several boroughs, giving the total revenue, administrative expenses and ratio of the latter to the revenue: — Palmerston North £204,591; £5748; 2.81. Wanganui £218,551; £6962; 3.19. Invercargill £196,755; £7826; 3.98. Napier £131,802; £5336; 4.05. Timaru £109,216; £5981; 5.48. Hamilton £88,630; £5232; 5.90. GENERAL DETAILS. Proceeding, Mr Nathan said that the capitul expenditure on the water works totalled £80,500 and the income £10,839, of which £2OOO was transferred to general account. The position of the water supply had been thoroughly investigated and the consulting engineer advocated ail additional reservoir, filters and diversion and enlargement of the pipe line. He regretted that loan proposals for that work had been turned down and ho hoped the ratepayers would be in a better mood when they were next presented. The proposed remedial scheme would cost £147,830, the work to be spread over a period of 10 years. “We are not short of water, but a supply at the proper pressure is essential,” he said. Sewerage extension, particularly about Boundary road, was the other necessary work to be considered in the immediate future and he hoped that the ratepayers would receive it more kindly next time. Referring to garbage collection, Mr Nathan said that the purchase of the electric lorries was an innovation and it bad been found later that tho work could be done by one lorry; this year tho work would cost £3900 instead of the estimated £3500. The people here were being asked to do no more than people anywhere else in being requested to take their rubbish tins to the front of their residences. If the council had to collect them from the rear of houses it would cost another £SOO, and to meet that it was proposed to put back the extra 2s 6d per service. “Only don’t say the council is to blame for the extra rate,” said Mr Nathan. ELECTRIC LIGHT AND GAS. The capital cost of tho electric light undertaking, said Mr Nathan, was £173,966, the revenue for 1924-25 £26,195, the expenditure £24,046; and the resultant credit balanco £2149. The interest and sinking fund for 1924-25 was £8643, and for this year would bo £13,018. The capital cost of the gas undertaking to date was £202,508, the revenue for 1924-25 £58,542, the expenditure £55,131, and the credit balance, exclusive of the sale of the Broad street property and the extra cost of the new works, £2442. “I want you to remember,” said Mr Nathan, “that the present council was in no way responsible for the electrical undertaking—they were committed to complete that and other works which hud been started.” He cited the following sums which the present council had had to raise to complete various works; —Electric ; light, £55,000; gas, £25,000; reading, £35.- ! 000; Hokowhitu sewerage, £8000; stormi water drainage, £8150; sewerage, £2000; a | total of £133,150. The gas und power plants had done all that they wore 'claimed to do, and in connection with the latter they now hud 2100 consumers—a record for New Zealand having,regard to the time they hud been working. The price of gas here compared very favourably with charges elsewhere. In connection with the authorised roadworks loan of £BO,OOO, £63,000 had been raised and £62,898 expended. “I claim that those figures show that the administration of the borough affairs lias been economical,” stated Mr Nathan. He repeated that tho present council was not responsible for all the items of expenditure. Any outgoing council must leave something to be completed but the present body, as was shown, had been left in a singular position. Thirteen miles and 67 chains of tar-sealed roads had, he mentioned, been completed and the balance of the bus routes would soon be done. OTHER MATTERS. Tho speaker defended the council’s policy of road repairing, stating that the cost was no higher than elsewhere. For the new municipal offices £12,000 had been raised and the office requirements of the council were catered for for the next ten or fifteen years. For housing £SOOO had been raised and for the Gorge Board of Control over £4OOO. They would not have had to ruiso £12,000 for the office alterations hud it not been found necessary to devote

the money derived from the sale of the buildings in Broadway to meet the ultimate cost of completing the gas works at Terraco End and the laying of the now pipe line. The Opera House account was in credit to £3071 becauso it was let at a good rental. Many vacant sections on reserves had been leasod to produce revenue and the council had bought for £I6OO tho old Campbell Street School site for a breathing space. The Mayor proceeded to state that repairs to pavements should bo dono out of income and that £2OOO should bo set asido for tins work next year. Tho destructor, a legacy from the old council, had been completed and was operating efficiently. The baths, us always, did not pay. There was going to bo an increased hospital levy—from £3009 to £3214, but no ono would object much to that. Economy could be yet effected in connection with gravel pit operations, in regard to which modern plant was required. The naming of the streets in Palmerston North was very badly done. Enamel plates would cost an exorbitant amount, but the existing boards could well be repainted. Tho extension of the waterworks and sewerage were the only items which he personally desired to place before the ratepayers next year. Mr Nathan dealt briefly with the work of the Manawatu Gorge Road Board of Control, stating that tho Government hud now agreed to subsidise the extra expenditure which had been found necessary.

The credit balance in the general account when the council took office was, lie said, £132 15s and was now £2BBI 19s Id. The district fund similarly compared was £445 14s 7s and £6557 Is 4d.

Air Nathan then proceeded to briefly roview the works done by the sitting council and in conclusion expressed his thanks to the ratepayers for re-electing him Alayor unopposed, lie took that as evidence of general satisfaction at the administration of the borough affairs and assured the ratepayers of his very best services in the future as in tho past. I inally, and amidst applause, ho expressed his great indebtedness to Mrs Nathan for her assistance in the social work attached to tho chief magistracy of tho town. On tho motion of Mr R. Edwards, seconded by Air E. \V. Hubbard, the Alayor was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, carried by acclamation, for his address. OTHER ADDRESSES.

Councillors and other candidates for the council at tho forthcoming elections then addressed the gathering. Gr AlcLeavey, who was very brief, wa9 till!, first to avail himself of the opportunity to <lo go. He paid a tribute to Palmerston North from a residential point of view and assured bis hearers of his dosiro to do his very best for the borough. He complimented tho Borough Council officers on their ability, and especially mentioned Cr Fitzherbert as chairman of the reserves committee. One matter which ho thought deserving of attention was the removal of earth from roadsides where it was blocking the water channels. The borough water supply, be thought, merited attention, especially the filters, and he named soveral other works deserving of early consideration. Cr AlcLeavey said that the published return of attendances of councillors at meetings put him in rather a false light, as he hud been ill for a considerable part of the year. Applause greeted the conclusion of the address. The chairman of the transit and library committees (Cr Oram) next took the platform. lie stated, in connection with the transit department, figures to show that tho revenue was steadily increasing over the past three years. The credit balanco on starting tho year was £241 18s 2d and the year’s working left a credit balance of £9B odd after recoiling £4OO from the general fund. It had always been recognised ho said, that tho borough, would have ’to face a loss on the system, but tho deficit was progressively growing less and had it not been for the epidemic the department would have come out square this year. The bus service could be made to pay to-morrow if West End and Hokowhitu wore cut out and the Lyndhurst street run restricted, but they' aimed to give a good service to all parts of the borough. They needed a more economical typo of vehicle and that- was being inquired into. Since the present librarian had been appointed the subscribers had increased from 530 to 843 . and the department had ended the year with a credit balance. Libraries were sent to each of tlie primary schools to the extent of one book tor each child in Standards 111., IV., V., and VI. He preceded to deal with future works and the need for doing as much as possible out of revenue. A. former Alayor of tho town in 3lr lv. Edwards, who on this occasion is seeking a seat on tho council, spoke next. His address was punctuated by some laughter and good humoured comment and applause, lie set out by deprecating the Mayor’s method of alluding over-much to “what the present council had been committed to ” It was the same council all the time, ho said. Tho people were beginning to take a keener interest in municipal matters, and he assured ratepayers that things would be all right “when he was elected.” The borough to dale bad borrowed £825,520—a’ fairly, large sum which showed that they had nearly reached the limit. “If you keep on supporting all the loans put beforo you you would soon not have a roof over your head, ’ lie said. He did not agree necessarily that this was the lowest ruted borough in New Zealand. He knew ono man who paid nearly £lB a year in rates on a five-roomed house near the borough boundary. Air F. W. Hubbard advocated a ward system of election to ensure equal representation of all quarters of the borough. Ho strongly supported the principle ol municipal works being done by contract wherever possible and concluded with a eulogistic reference to tho ability of tlie Muyor (Air Nathan). Mr 0. A. Jorgensen also briefly addressed the ratepayers, his chief point being the cost of some borough works as compared with tho cost of like work when done by private enterprise, lie affirmed that his personal knowledge and experience would not allow him to allow such a thing to go on did he have a say in tlie matter. Introduced by the chairman as a young candidate of more than average ability, Air G. 11. Trott delivered a short but concise address. He stated that he fully realised the amount of time and atten tion which councillors had to devote to their work and observed that very often the efforts of those who sought to serve their day and generation were not recognised. lie might, he said, be deemed presumptious in accepting nomination but he had done so when it appeared as if there were going to bo three defections from the ranks of councillors. I hat had been altered since and it was now a test of whether the people were satisfied with the present personnel of the council, lie had prepared no policy and had no platform but merely sought to do his best in the interests of the borough if allowed to attempt- it. Ho had had experience of travel all through iSew Zoaland and stated that one could not fail in such a case to learn a good deal about municipal affairs in many districts.

Labour candidates addressed ratepayers at Whyte’s corner, Terraco End, last evening, a small knot of about 12 people attending. BUSINESS MEN’S TICKET. Mr H. L. Young presided over a meeting of business men held yesterday afternoon to consider the selection of a “ticket” of nine candidates for seats on the Borough Council out of the 19 who are offering their services. The expressed feeling ol the meeting was that care must bo taken to have on the council men of ability who would watch over tho finances of the municipality carefully. Tho following “ticket” was selected: Crs Graham, Eliott, Canton, Fitzherbert, Oram, McLoavey and Jackson and Messrs D. W. Low and G. 11. Trott. It was the opinion of tho meeting that these were a progressive group of men and that tho electors would bo well advised to eupport their candidature.