COUNTY FINANCES.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 10 November 1920, Page 4

COUNTY FINANCES.

TREASURER’S REPORT. Mr -P. AV. Goldsmith, clerk and treasurer to the above Council, submitted the following report at the lasj meeting of the Council: — The financial position of the Council nt the close of the first halt of tire year denotes a heavier expenditure than for the same periou hist year. In ; September, 1019, tlie county fund ae- j count.at the bank lyas in credit to tlie j extent of £J2UU, at the close of Sep- i tcniber this year the overdraft at the i bank was £1136. t General Account. 1 r £he receipts (£7060) show an in- | eiease of £IOOO as compared with tho . 30th September, 1010, made up chiefly 1 by proceeds of sale of motor lorry and bv an increase in the amount of rates collected by some £3OO. The Govern meat subsidy on rates collected did not j ijuite reach the maximum, the actual sum received being £2488 13s 3d. 'J he expenditure charged to general account (£2003) is over £OOO more than tor the corresponding period of the previous year. This in accounted for bv (1) the rise in the price of almost all commodities in daily use—postage:, printing, etc.; (_') the purchase of r. new lord car and a cottage at Mann kau; and (3) c::ncir:c:; in connection with the engineering work of the Council in it? transition-stage. In this general account, as in previous years there is a credit balance of over £4OOO to bo apportioned amongst the riding in the usual way at the end of the year. Riding Accounts. Otaki: This riding commenced the vest with a debit balance of £322 and has spent £317 during the half-yea.' - A Government giant of £l6O lias bee?: credited to the riding account, and thdebit balance at the end of 3tptem.be: was £'JBO. In Sept ember, 101!), the dr. balance was £634. Unless something unusual happens, the expenditure for the second half of the year should not be extraordinary, but. it will not be possible to nvotd a debit balance on : the 31st March next, although it may '.not be a very serious one. j ’ Te Horo: For the first half-year the expenditure reached £766, which added ; to the dr. balance on the 31st March ! last of £628, shows a debit balance at I the end of the first lialf-veur of £1383. | This riding is in a better financial posi:l tion than it was 12 months ago, as the ! debit balance in September, 1919, was £2590. If nothing unexpected occurs, this riding's account should meet the J 31st March next at least with no S greater debit balance than was conI templated when the estimates were | framed. As to the future, I am afraid that to look forward to lessened expenditure would only be a delusion. The increase: in the cost of living with its natural result of increased wages, etc., has a marked effect on county finances. Almost every class of materials used in county work is also n.ucli higher than formerly, and the shortage of some materials, such as cement, is a source of great inconvenience and loss. During the war period years undoubtedly many necessary works have been kept back as much as possible, and there is lee-way to make up. Probably a fairly heavy expenditure, for instance, will bo necessary in the renewal and repair of bridges, and thore are other matters on very similar lines. As a set-off to this position, it must not. however, be forgotten that rrtad making rnachin?ry has been purchased out of revenue to the extent of £.176)'. and the rates struck have been no higher than for some years past. The new valuation of the county will be an accomplished fact before the next rating year, and no one knows what increase will take place, except, that it will be a very- substantial one, and no doubt the richer and more valuable lands of the county will nay a greater proportion in rates than in the past. The rate in the pound it will be necessary to carry- on the Council’: work i< at present obscure, but there can be no doubt that ratepayers will be called upon to pay in the aggregate- a little more than hitherto. ■ The new Council (whether its personnel is changed or net) will probably consider the advisability of saving maintenance expenditure by improved methods of rend construction. An element of uncertainty with regard to the Government attitude towards the upkeep and control of the main reads seems to be one of the difficulties of the situation. Another disturbing feature in connection with sealed roads is the large amount of experimental work carried out by nearly all local authorities who do this class of work, and so far no definite standard has been established which stands ont on its own merits as the best kind to follow. Further, with so many claims on the money market, financing loans for road construction during the next year or two.would not seem to be an easy task. Even if n loan is not raised, it rr’uht, however, be possible for the Council, where a piece of road has been made and is in real good order, to tar seal the same before it begins to dc-pfeeiare. It is to be hoped, however, that as the rating year comes round the Council will strike rates .sufficient for the expenditure, and avoid the piling up of p big bank ovedraft, as has sometime; ■been dene in the past, a state of affairs which eannoi };p defended as good i'tt&i p£ss. It- is said that throughout the country .the ndanciai barometer at the closet of this half-year is somewhat unsteady, and the need for caution is evident. From g county treasurer’s standpoint a fair mc/jh&t of caution should never be wanting, hut undoubtedly a time comes in the history of local bodies when there rauat be courage as well as caution, if progress is desired. la our county, wish 55.

miles of main roads, new methods are inevitable, and a way must be found to finance the necessary works. Tlie Chairman warmly congratulated the clerk on his most able report, which was the outcome of thoughtful consideration. Other councillors agreed, and many were tlie complimentary remarks passed thereon. Chairman’s Report.

The Chairman (Cr. Monk) stated that the county finances were staple. Things were not too good some live years ago, but during that time the i,veidraft was due to the prompt manlliere had not been an increased rate. He considered the wiping off of the ovedraft was due to the prompt manner in which the rates had been collected —therefore the matter was one that was in the hands of the ratepayers themselves. They benefit ted by their prompt payment, while the Government subsidy meant a reduction in the bank interest.

Touching on public works Cr. Monk I remarked that the Council had had to deal with motor traffic in place of horse drawn vehicles, which meant a far different action on roads, and meant, that the Council had to do a different class of road building. To compete with this tome councils had gone’in for systems of tar-paving, etc., but a a these were only in their initial stages they were’not certain as to the best class of making. Personally, he favoured concrete. This, to his mind, was no doubt the best, but the cost •was great. He had advocated, two years ago, a loan lor road improveC ment, but things generally .were financially unsettled, and he now thought it inadvisable to “lash out.” Money was actually short, and in place of going in for a loan for a permanent surface he thought it. would be better to go on with rollers, crushers, and j earifier:.. Already by this means the * Council had lengthened the life of f uat of the roads. He admitted that I in places where metal was difficult to get tar would be better. He thought also that the Council should gradually widen their roads, and thus prepare ij for what was coming-—a permanent * surface. To do this the Council wanted a tractor to haul the grader and its own motor lorries. The Council could not buy much out of revenue, and if it was decided to go in for machinery they would have to raise a loan over the whole county. Speaking on new work, Cr. Monk said in the Te Horo Riding the road had been widened and two small bridges built, while widening of the road from Otaki to Manakau hill had also been done. Several roads in the northern end had also been widened. Various roads had also been extended, and extra roads meant extra cost. Reverting to public works, the Chairman said the Minister of PublicWorks was endeavouring to bring down a Bill for the Government to take control of the main roads. He thought this a mistake, and considered this should be • done by (he countycouncils. If the main roads were taken from them they- would be left with district loads, and then it would be t. .just; as well to have a road board. He • thought Government should increase the scope of councils, and considered the Minister would be wise to consider the Victorian Road Boards sysI tern. He contended the Government should give a subsidy- to councils for the upkeep of main arterial roads. Or. Monk took the opportunity of thanking councillors for their support during his term as chairman. He regretted that Or. Bryant was not seeking re-election. He also regretted that ' their ex-engineer had been stricken f with illness and forced to retire, but he wished hint better health for the future. Cr. Monk said he wished also to personally express his thanks to Mr Cat ley, who bad acted as temporaryinspector and had done good work. The new engineer had already started well, while the clerk was a faithful, n hard-working servant, who had the ; best interests of the Council at heart, ’j. He (the speaker) had watched how s work had increased, and how Mr Gold-

.. smith had met it without a murmur of ! complaint. He considered the clerk V, salary should be increased to £4OO at I once, and not wait for the increment .. This he would recommend to the incoming Council. Cr. Monk said the Council was likely to 10-c its assists nt clerk. Miss Goldsmith, he said, had been a wonderful girl, intelligent, and with a great capacity for work. He wished her every succ-es.-. In conclusion he thanked the pre. s. who had been most fair, congratulated councillor.-. who had been returned unopposed. and hoped councillors who were seeking re-election would also be returned. Cr. Harkness agreed with the Chairman’s remarks, considering it highly necessary to have road machinery. He . thought tar-carpet on top of concrete would make the best roads. He was pleased to hear the remarks about the staff, and said he had never seen a more capable officer than the clerk. While regretting the loss of Mr Mai'colrn, he thought the Council had made a wise choice in securing Mr Anderson, and said good roads were now assured. He suggested that roadmen work in gangs under a ganger and not an overseer. Cr. Ryder also endorsed the Chairman’s remarks, and said the bad state of The Ohau road was dne to the lona straight and the speed of cars. He objected to the Government taking over the main roads, and considered it could not even run its present business successfully. He was sorry his colleague was not 'tanding for ’a seat on , the Council again, -hoi had no doubt his brother would be a worthy successor. Cm. McLeavey and Whyte also spoke, eulogising the goc-d work done by the chairman ana staff.