The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, APRIL 26.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 115, 25 April 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, APRIL 26.

The financial position of the Borough as shown by the comparative statement laid before the Board last Tuesday evening, taken on the whole, must be considered quite satisfactory. We certainly have just cause to congratulate ourselves upon the evident signs of progress shown in the general increase under the several headings of receipts. The rates are steadily improving year by year, and the last twelve mouths show an increase under this special head of £139, whilst the rents have also slightly improved to the extent of £l5 odd, and licenses £B5, the latter being about the annual ratio of increase of late years. Under the heading of taxes will be found a decrease of £23—a somewhat unaccountable circumstance when it is seen that last year showed an increase over the previous one of £75 odd A portion of the deficiency under this heading is attributed to the large falling off in the returns for pound fees—a subject which should claim the attention of the Board. The recommendation of the Town Clerk conveyed to the Council in his able report upon this subject deserves every consideration, and should be attended to at the earliest convenient opportunity. The total increase of expenditure over the income amounts to some £798 odd, £606 of which is set down as extraordinary expenditure in which is included the cost of the fire-engine shed. Deducting this amount from the £798 leaves a sum of £149, which may be looked upon as the real increase on the ordinary expenditure of the year. We have commenced the year with an overdraft of £769 as against £199 last year. This will be increased to upwards of £1,691 next year, even providing we do not go one shilling beyond the estimated proposed expenditure of £4,153. This will include the £5OO towards theTuranganui Bridge and £1,140 for roads and drains. It is needless to point out that the strictest economy should be practised in all matters entailing expense ; at the same time we have reasons to congratule ourselves upon the progress shown and the increased prosperity of our Borough.