MARTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8809, 10 May 1907, Page 3

MARTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

.. Progressive Policy Adopted. A special meeting of above was held last night to consider reports of committees and the balance sheet. Present: —Dr. Sherman, Mayor j Crs. Stttcliffe, Gibbons, Hilton, Lyon and McEldowney. REPORT OP FINANCE COMMITTEE. The balance sheet ending 31st March, 1907, was considered and it was found that the income of the year on General Account had Been £1640 19s 7d and the expenditure £1795, this leaving au excess of expenditure over receipts of £l4B Os sd. The overdraft was £2958 3s 7d, to which should he added a debtor balance of £319 8s (id duo to the sinking fund account. This credit having been received during the year and expended it results that the sum of £367 8s lid has been spent more than was a legitimate expense for the year. We also find that from the general account during the last year the sum- of £426 3s od was advanced to the gas account for extensions. This, with a similar advance of £233 6s lOil in the previous year,

means that the gas extension loan account owes the general account for {ho last two years a sura of £(533 10s SI. The late Council ordered gas goods from England to the extent of over £4OO, payment of which inner bo met during the current quarter. The average receipts per mouth for the first six mouths of the year were £330. The chaurtclliug and kerb mg also incurred by the late Council has to be paid for shortly, amounting to over £2OO, and the uov v ater cart also is owing for. 1. In view of these facts the Committee do not think it advisable to recommend the Council to make any remission of rates during the current year. 2. That in order to place the General, Account in good working order a gas extension loan he pushed o.i and the money £658 10s 3d so obtiiucd bo paid back into the General .Account. 3. That such other money as would bo required by the Gas Committee bo raised by way of loan at the same

time. •1. That enquiries bo made of tlio Auditor-General as to the power of the Council to reduce tho special rate, as it appears that £9O per annum is at present collected more than is required for interest and sinking fund. 5. That as it is apparent that it is passible to spend those largo sums viz., £420 gas extensions, £BO lior.se and cart, £OO street sweeper, out of Current revenue at tho present scale of rating, tho Committee consider it possible to raise a considerable loan at tho present time without a 6d rate, at present bringing in £209 Bs. | There lias been a small loss on the Library account, duo to over purchase of now books, but if the Librarian’s salary was charged partly to office expenses this would disappear; also a small loss ou the Town Hall, after paying interest, tho loss amounts to about £ls. The Committee think tho Pound Account and Dog Tax require looking into.

REPORT OP GAS COMMITTEE. Tlio Committee report that after considering the position of the present ability of tlio works to supply tho town extensions that the present gas holder is too small for safety, that unless more is made for storage the present extensions will not bo able to bo worked and so remain unprofitable. That a largo number of new extensions are being applied for chiefly' near tho railway station. That the gas account owes the general account at present the sum of £OSB 10s 3d for the last two years, and thero is no money except tho small profitmade at tho works to make any more additions, this profit being last year about £SO was spent in more gas fittings, therefore the Committee recommend, 1. That at present it is not desirable to reduce the price of gas. 3. That a loan be sanctioned by the ratepayers to raise a sura of £2500 or £3OOO, to be expended in further gas plant, viz., bolder, purifier, meters, etc,, and extension of gas mains. 3. The Committee was unable to decide whether the present method of doing the gas fittings work was profitable to the Council, so recommend that other gas companies of similar capacity be written to and asked their opinion on the matter and that in the meantime the work go on as at present. ■i. That it is also advisable that a petition asking tho Governor to include the outside suburbs of tlio borough within tho borough limits bo drafted and sent round for signature and that a small sub-committee be set up to delimit the area so taken in and draft the petition.

f 5. That until the gas consumer outside tho borough be included in tho boundaries an extra rate per thousand be charged them. REPORT OF'WORKS COM-

SUTTEE. The Committee recommended that kerbing and channelling bo pushed on with .and that the borough surfaceman and carter be employed on the work. That Read’s bridge bo attended to as soon as the stream goes down. That Ors. Sutcliffe and Gibbous be a committee to attend to borough works till further notice. That a loan bo raised to form and asphalt the footpaths in all principal streets in the borongh and that a surveyor be employed to furnish an estimate of cost, back streets to be asphalted four feet in width. The principal terms in the balance sheet were read hy the Mayor and further discussion on these was held over till nest meeting of the Council. The Mayor explained that during the year several payments had been made that were not recurring. The receipts for current year over and above expenditure should amount to £375 so that there would be sufficient money out of general revenue to pay interest on a £6OOO loan for footpaths. He went on to show that this loan could bo raised increasing the rates. The gas loan of £3OOO would bo remunerative. The Mayor moved and Cr. McEldowuey seconded : ‘ ‘ That steps be taken to raise a loan of £3OOO for gas plant and extension of mains. ’ ’ The mover said it would bo necessary to strike a rate but not to collect it.

Tiro motion was carried. The Mayor moved and Or. Gibbous seconded: “That an estimate of cost of forming, mo tailing and asphalting footpaths in the borough bo obtained with a view to raising a loan for the work. ’ ’ The Mayor spoke at some length in support of his motion. His past experience was that a Jgreat number of applications bad bcou made for footpaths and if all these requests had been granted the expenditure would have exceeded the estimates ; and they would bo placing other ratepayers in a very invidious position. Some 80 years ago £3OOO was borrowed to metal the back streets and after this work had been completed a loan was raised for the waterworks. Since then not a single loan had been asked for towards improving footpaths in the back streets. It was a unique position for the borough to remain 80 years without borrowing. The time had arrived when they should look forward to expansion of the borough. Neighbouring townships wore pushing on with now works and if they wanted to make Marton attractive and keep pace with the times these borough improvements would have to be undertaken. An asphalted footpath in front of every residence would enhance the value of property, besides giving easy access to premises. Quite a number of now houses were now in course of erection and it was only natural for owners to apply for certain necessary works and if attention was not given to those they could not expect people to build. A proper system of drainage was required and water tables wore an urgent necessity. Council could not possibly pay for such work out of ordinary revenue. A sum of £SOO was placed on the estimates for metalling, etc., and this amount would be absorbed in repairing main streets. Some of this money could possibly be .allocated for back streets but it would be a difficult matter for Council to deeide who would bo entitled to first consideration. Ho urged the councillors to support tho scheme and not consider the cost so much hut to make up their miuds to do tho work.

Or. McEldowncy wanted to see the town progress and keeping pace with the times. Council should spend more money on the streets. Very little permanent metalling had been done.

Cr. Gibbons said tbo metalling had not been done properly in the first place. Or. Hilton feared that the Mayor’s proposal-to pay interest would be a severe drain on the general account. He felt sure a rate would have to bo collected in years to come. Or. Gibbons spoke in support of the loan as other works now in hand had

“tJiTmet and the money could not come out of the general revenue. Or. Lyon moved an amendment that the matter be deferred for a year. This was seconded by Or. Hilton. Or. Lyon said it would be good policy to reduce the overdraft which was now at straining point. It would take at least a year for a new Council to ascertain its position. A better water supply for fire purposes should receive first attention.

In reply the Mayor said if the scheme was not gone on with the borough surfacemen would have to put in a lot of time on the back streets and a considerable sum would have to come out of the general revenue and he was against this form of expenditure. Cr. McEldowney said the proposal would have to go before the ratepayers, so that it would be advisable to give them the opportunity of deciding whether a loan should be raised. The amendment was lost on the casting vote of the Mayor. The original motion was then put ai A subcommittee of Crs. Gibbons, Sutcliffe, and the Mayor was appointed to form &> draft petition foi circulation outside the borough m connection with the extension of boundaries as recommended in above report. Other recommendations m the reports not dealt with by above resolutions were adopted.