COUNTIES’ ADMINISTRATION.

Putaruru Press, Volume III, Issue 103, 15 October 1925, Page 5

COUNTIES’ ADMINISTRATION.

AUTOMOBILE CLUB’S STRICTURES. Counties’ Association’s Reply. The N.Z. Counties’ Association did not take the Wellington Automobile Association’s strictures on counties’ administration expenditure' lying down. A further answer is contained in a letter from the president of the association (Mr. A. E. Jull) to tire Minister of Public Works. In the opening paragraph Mr. Jull expresses regret that the automobile people did not first approach the Counties’ Association, before broadcasting their misleading criticisms. The letter goes on to give six typical instances of where capital expenditure and maintenance costs were erroneously included in. “ administration,” which misled the automobile people as to the true position. In one case, where the administration had been worked out at 13.74 per cent, £BO6 expended on land purchased had 'been included. The correct figure should 1 have been 10.1 per cent.

Second' case, 15.25 per cent, but £2490 for cottage and land included, correct percentage, 9.2 per cent. Third case, 34.3 per cent, but £1446 per cent, purchase of motor lorry, included; correct percentage, 10. , At the Matamata County Council’s meeting en Friday the clerk ’(Mr. H. Lewis) commented that the automobile people were quite tight in protesting if they believed the percentage of expenditure for administration was actually what it appeared to be by some of the returns. These were in some cases incorrectly compiled; obviously some of the clerks did not know their jobs. Tire letter was “ received.”