BOROUGH ACCOUNTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 115, 13 April 1940, Page 5

BOROUGH ACCOUNTS

SATISFACTION EXPRESSED. At the meeting of the Fcilding Borough Council on Thursday evening the Mayor (Mr T. L, Scddon) reported on the annual accounts. “It is with some satisfaction that I review the accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 1940,’’ Mr Seddon said. “A surplus of approximately £B2O, is shown which is accounted for in the following manner : Gains in receipts, £885; increases in expenditure (in comparison with revenue items in estimates), £505; net gain in nonrevenue items, £190; truck hire credited from £6OOO loan, £200; credit brought forward at beginning of financial year, £52; making a surplus of £822. The surplus shown in the treasurer’s statement is £B2l 18s Id. This, however, is not quite the true position as all the credit balance is not available for general purposes. Of the amount of approximately £822, £2OO will have to be credited to the abattoir account; £l9O represents non-re-venue items, is really contingent and should remain ; £IOO represents deposit on the Iviwitea bridge contract and is to be refunded; £SO represents the unusual excess of heavy traffic fees in hand over normal. Taking these figuresl as being approximate only, we end/ the financial year with an available/ credit of £3OO. (

“Ln considering the estimates for the present financial year the lolloping items will not recur: Purchase ot mower, part cost, £100; Mount Stewart memorial contribution, part cost, £100; alteration to boundaries, £2o; Centennial Exhibition £112; a total of £337. Thus there will be the following financial improvement when we came to consider the estimates: Avail able surplus from past financial year, approximately, £300; gain from nonrecurring items of expenditure, approximately, £300; a total of £6OO. \Vhen framing the estimates, however, it must be borne in mind that the following unusual expenditure will require consideration : Cost of revaluation ol borough, £200; patriotic purposes say, £100; memorial pavilion, £lO9. it these items of expenditure are approved by the council, we will still be £2UU better off than last financial year and 1 propose to ask the council to consider a more generous allowance lor maintenance and some provision for new "“1 am very pleased with the result as shown by the treasurer’s statement, and we are indebted to our administrative officers for careful watching ot the finances. In spite of several items of unexpected yet necessary expenditure we have come out on the right side. However, there is no room lor rash spending. “1 am asking, the borough engineer to prepare a report on the condition of the footpaths in the borough indicating their condition, showing those that will be covered by the loan, and those which require attention so that the problem can be tackled Ln a systematic wav. Very little each year can be done out of revenue, and if the ratepayers want rapid progress they will have to face up to increased rates. “There are several matters which will exercise the council for some considerable time,” the Mayor added: ( “(1) The condition of our footpaths and streets. When the Joan works are completed some 70 chains of new foot-j paths wilt have been constructed, but

many of the old footpaths and the tarsealed streets generally require attention. They do not last forever. (2) The condition of our plant. During the past year the council has purchased a new truck, the motor mower and a second-hand power grader. Our machinery generally is in very poor condition, no replacements having been effected for a very Jong time, and ratepayers may have to be asked to sanction a loan, to bring the plant up -to date. The borough engineer cannot do his job with poor equipment. (3) The condition of the pipe-line. From time to time blow-outs occur, which indicate the condition of the pipes in various sections of the line. It is inevitable that with a pipe-line as old as the present one and in places composed of second-hand pipes blow-outs will occur. vShort sections may periodically have to be replaced, but sooner or later the council will be confronted with an expenditure on the pipe-line of several thousand pounds. “I am lioping that in view of the present situation and the possible necessity for a greater war effort that the council can avoid committing the ratepayers to any increase of rates. They will, however, realise that the borough amenities must be maintained and in certain circumstances the council may have no alternative. Every councillor has but one desire, and that is to serve in the interests of the ratepayers and the electors.” OFFICIALS’ REPORTS. In addition to making mention of flic maintenance work to streets and footpaths, the borough engineer (Mr T. K. Hay) in his monthly report stated that tho water pressure had been satisfactory, and the reservoirs maintained full with a steady overflow. A large number of plants and bulbs had been planted out in the various reserves for spring flowering. The report of the abattoir manager for the year ended March 31, 1940, showed that the killings of sheep, cattle and pigs totalled 18.274, and fees amounted to ,£3022 15s 2d, compared with 18,043 and £3OOO 11s 5d for the previous year.. The librarian (Mr R. W. 11. Wood) reported that during tho year ended March 31, 1940, the following classes of books were placed on the shelves: Ficton 220, biographical 8, general 10, historical 15, travel 12.