Counties’ Expenditure..

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 199, 26 June 1939, Page 3

Counties’ Expenditure..

OPOTIKI-WIH AKATANE INTERESTING FIGURES -The following information in connection with expenditure in the Opotiki and Whakatane. counties has been received by Air. A. G. Hultquist from the Alinister of Public Works, Hon. R. Semple, and forwarded to the Opotiki News for publication : The' figures in each ease dealr with the financial years 1933-31 to 1938-39. Opotiki County. The return shows the amounts ol' free money, of .subsidy at £1 for £l, at £2 for £l, and at £3 for £l, appropriated each financial year and tile amounts actually expended during each year. The position for the financial year 1938-39 just ended appears to be considerably better than that of the previous four years, and it is encouraging to observe that the council is apparently taking the opportunity of expending a good proportion of the grants and subsidies which have been appropriated for loading and bridging works within the county.

From a highway viewpoint, the Opotiki County' Council is rather fuvqurably situated. The State Highway passes right through the County while the Te Ararena to Opotiki Alain Highway, although not a State Highway, is nevertheless subsidised! more freely in respect of maintenance than ordinarily is the case with main highways, tin* contribution made annually by the Opotiki County Council towards its maintenance being only of small dimensions. Ail expenditure of over £50,000 is being made in new construction work on this particular route during the present financial year, and the .Council is not contributing in any maimer towards the cost.

Also, with regard to the Opotiki to Matawai via Alotu Alain Highway, this would ordinarily be maintained under a £3 for £1 subsidy from the Alain Highways Board but in respect of fhe section, Alotu to Willow Tree Crossing, the Council is receiving a more favourable rate of assistance from the Main Highways Board-'. Public Works Fund : Roads Yote. Free Mtoney. Appropriated Expended

Total s £2-9580 £l46< 1 The figures for the years 1933-34 to 1935-30 in tliei last table were for expenditure on all roads including roads which are now State highways. Whakatane County. On reviewing the amounts appropriated and the amounts expended dur-

ing each of the financial years lor which the information is supplied, there appears to be little necessity for me to expand the position In any respect by comment. The introduction of State highways resulted in the Whakatane County Council being relieved of its previous proportion of maintenance expenditure upon over 68 miles of main highway. The estimated- average annual saving to the council in this respect is £1,700, so that since November 1936 when the State Highways were declared', the council has saved .over £4,000.

Beyond this, however, very considerable- improvements have been made on these same highways and, as shown by the following information, an amount of over £25,740 is now being expended upon additional improvements. Whaka.tane-Gi shorn© State Highway. Realignment and sealing (Wha-katane-Taneatua Section). £10,336 Kotorua-Whakataiie State Highway. (Awakeri-Whakatane Section). Re-

alignment. . £5,904 Paeroa-Wliakatane State Highway. (Whakatane Bridge to Tauranga). Reconstruction and sealing. £4.800 Paeroa-Wliakatane State Highway. (Otaramakau-Whakatane). Reconstruction and ■ widening. £3,7 ’OO Matatn Bridge. £I,OOO £25.740 These are all State highway works for which the Main Highways Beard finds the whole of the funds. Free Money. Appropriated Fkpendoci

1933-3-1- £ £ 6749 5289 1934-35 4999 1438 1935-36 3179 ’ 1728 ] 936-37’ 1435 ~ 864 1937-38 2970 737 1938-39 3995 2753 Totals £22427 • £12809 Subsidy^—(£1 for £1) 1933-34 Appropriated .Expended £ £ 1934-35 — — 1935-36. — — 1936-37 845 — 1937-38 860 106 1938-39 295 373 Totals £2000 £479 Subsidy.— (£2- for £1). 1933-34 Appropriated J&cpended £ £ 1934-35 — — 1935-36 173 1936-37 460 159 1937-38 1405 ■ — 1933-39 1535 1136 Totals £3573 £1295 Subsidy—(£3 for £1). 1933-34 Appropriated Expended £ £ • 1934-35 — — 1935-36 90 — 1936-37 90 88 1937-38 700 . — 4938-39 700 — Totals £1580 £88 Totals. Appropriated Jiixpcnded £ £ 1933-34 6749 5289 1934-35 4999 1438 19’35r36i 3442 1728 1936-37 2830 1111 1937-38 5935 843 1938-39 5625 4262

£ £ 1# 1033-34 4042 2569 1934-35 9348 6184 ] 935-30 31628 8157 1936-37 43270 46690 1937-38 72420 48174 1938-39 60915 41528 Totals £220723 £153293 Subsidy.—(£1 for £1). Appropriated lux-pended £ £ 1933-34 ■ lO) 82 1934-'3o 1150 150 1935-33 2770 911 1936-37 2920 1879 1037-38 3990 869 i 1938-39 4285 1373 Totals £15220 £5207 Subsidy—(£2 for £1). • Appropriated lilxpended £ £ 1933-34 1935-36 1936-37 _ —- 1937-38 2205 1121 1938-39 1755 885 Totals 3960 £2006 Subsidy.-—£3 lor £1). A ppropriatcd JLuxpended £ £ 1933-34 1934-35 450 ■ — 1935-30 450 448 19371250 ' 285 1938-39 740 461 Totals £2890 £1194 J’otals. Appropriated Ifrcpended ij £ . ~ 1933-34 4142 2642 1934-35 10948 6354 1935-33 34848 9519 1936-37 46190" 18569 1937-38 79870 50449 1938-39 66795 44247 Totals £242793 £161760