THE COUNTY YEAR.

Shannon News, 30 May 1924, Page 2

THE COUNTY YEAR.

.RATES REDUCED IN T\VO RIDINGS .MAINTAINED IN WIROKINO AND TE HORO. At the annual statutory meeting oi the Horowhoiruu County Council the following report was submitted by Urn treasurer, Mr F. 11. Hudson:— TREASURER’S REPORT. Considered as a whole the year under. review should he regarded us a fairly satisfactory one in view ol the improved ; prices for'farming products and the general stabilisation of prices from the purchaser's standpoint. The effect of this condition inevitably reflects itself in County finances,' which, is especially noticeable in the year just closed. There is also another appreciable factor so far as County lands are concerned in Unit they have been free from the encumbrance caused by extraordinary damage by floods ail'd other unforeseen demands unfortunately experienced hv a number of counties ip New Zealand during the year. The total receipts for the- year amounted to £28,932 as compared with £23,596 for the preceding year and the total expenditure was £25,121 as against £25,122. for the year previous. . COUNTY FUND ACCOUNT. The closed with a credit balance of £3444 as compared w-itli a debit balance of £1259 at the March 31, 1923. The amount paid in interest on overdraft during the yeajr was £ll 5s 6d as compared with £348 16s lor the preceding year; the forutnatc saving ip this respect was largely due to ratepayers meeting their rate accounts within the financial year. RIDING ACCOUNTS.

Tokomaru.— I Tin's Riding commenced the year with a credit balance of £1534 which, together with the share of general revenue and subsidy (£4083). brought the total receipts up to £5617. Tiie expenditure amounted to .£2734 which would no doubt have been larger if arrangements made for metalling had been carried out with in. the year. The year ends with a credit balance of £2883 which with judicious care in the framing of the estimates for the coming year'should materially assist in reducing the general rate*. The rate struck in this Riding for the year was ?d in the £. Wirokino Riding.—The total receipts amounted to £6BOO comprising share of general revenue and subsidy £6024 and refunds from; l. dan and Oliau Bridge repairs £499 and £176 respectively and sundries £lOl.

The expenditure is shown as £6770, in which is included a debit balance from March 31, 1923, of £BO9, share antecedent liability repayment. £950, plant working account £462, advance to Tiro Tiro and Mako Mako water supply loan £lll, and public works expenditure £4438. The general rate in this riding did not come in as freely as might be desired ; notwithstanding this fact, however, it is .very creditable for the riding to have recovered its position and closed the year on the 'right side of the ledger to the extent of £3O. The general rate struck-was ?-d in the £. Otaki Riding.—Receipts in this riding amounted to £3215, including a credit balance .of £734 irom March 31, 1923, share uf general revenue and subsidy £-2139, refund for share oi Otaki bridge repairs £246, Manukau settlers, for Reach road improvement £76, sdndry refunds £2O. The expenditure amounted to £2537 made up of public works £1920, share plant working account £3OO, and antecedent liability repayment,, eke. £lO7, Otaki bridge repairs f balance) £lB2, advance Waikawu South Road Loan £2B. The excess of receipts over expenditure amounts' to £678 as compared with £734 for the previous year. The rate struck tor the year was £d in the £. -- Te Horo. Riding.—The,year opened with a. credit balance of £2BO which', With share of general revenue and subsidy, £2623, and a refund of £216 brought lithe 10/l receipts up to £3149.

On tJic expenditure side it will be found that £1752 was spent on pui>1i c works, £lB2 1-or snare ol Otaki bridge repairs (balance;, 081 snare oi plant working account, and 01 < i proportion of antecedent repayment and interest, making a total oi £218'.). The riding- there lore closes tile year with a credit ibaiance of £960. The general rate struck was the same as lor the previous year, |d in the 0. Hates and Hate Collection. —The year commenced with an amount ol £.11,165 arrears carried forward from previous years, this being hugely a legacy from the “slump” period, ■which together rvitih £22,120, the amount of rateijitruok for the year, made a total oi .£33,285 collectable during the period. Ol this amount. £2-4,053 was received, consisting of £7380 arrears and £16,67,3 eurreut rates, leaving a balance of £0232 made up of previous years arrears £8785 and arrears for the year £5447. Although this state of affairs is far from, satisfactory it must be understood- that the collection of the host part of two years’ rates in one year is a very difficult proposition when the fact- has to be taken into consideration that the County is only -now feeling the first effects of a. ■recovery from the period of depression, and therefore viewed in this light must be considered a fairly creditable effort on the part, of a majority of the 'ratepayers. It may lie of interest t-o note that the amount collectable (luring the year is the largest in the history of the County. Notwithstanding that the previous year dosed with rates amounting to £94:12 lor the year, it is pleasing to record that the .maximum Government subsidy of £2500 was secured. Returned Soldiers’ Rates.—A statement of the position in regard to rates outstanding under this head Has been prepared and is placed before the Council for consideration. „The policy of the Council since -the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement. Act came into operation lias been one of patient. forbearance in the hope that if given time the settlers would meet their obligati mis. To a certain extent. a ? minority ha.ve creditably fulfilled

their part in. this respect and deserve every commendation for their efforts. On the other hand nianv have disregarded any obligation whatever. The reason in some eases seems to, be that, the values of their holdings and the encumbrances thereon arc over and above the making of their farms a payable proposition, or thaf if So and So does not. pay, why should they? Whatever may be the position it is necessary if the' rates arc to be secured that, “some definite course should now be adopted. Main Highways.—ln conclusion I would mention that preparatory work lias been done during the year in connection with main highways construction as affecting this County and the scheme which the Council' have •adopted will shortly be submitted to ilie ratepayers. From a financial standpoint the whole proposition summed rip simply means that main roads suitable for modern traffic pan be had for the cost o[ the existing out-of-date and extravagant method, and this fact should commend itself to all interested in good roads. Apart from this factor • 11 io adoption of the proposed scheme wilt mean that a dclinite policy in regard to rouding will he entered upon winch 'should be capable oi being extended to district, roads if thought desiiable in the luture. DISCUSSING THE REPORT.

The chairman in lurmuliy moving die adoption ul the treasurer's report congratulated the County Clerk on his initial attnjmjp't in Ifus direction, jWhicit went to show the excellent grasp he had of the County's affairs. Dealing with the various ridings lie had to congratulate Tukumaru on being in such a position that it would be possible to- reduce their rate next year, fie thought tha't the id general rate last year was the highest " tiicti. had ever been collected in that riding, and it was pleasant -to be able to consider the reduction uf this rate in the cun ring year.

In tlie Wirokino riding the whole of tiie estimated money had been spen t and it. did not setun tbut. ahy reduction could be made. In Otaki it appeared that- it might be possible to. take oft id. Te Horo was in the same position as Wirokino and he did not think it. would be safe to take any tiling off. He had thought at one time that a general reduction might he made over the whole County,- but. owing to the Main Highways scheme being held up they could not take this estimated source of revenue into consideration. Owing to this 'they might be on tiio high side ,in inimiitg the estimates' l'or the 'main roads, but if so the County would get the benefit ol' it next yynir. The leverage ratepayer might prefer that, the reduction “be made now, but the Council, which had tlye interests uf the public finance to consider had to watch such matters careluliv.

Cr. Ryder seconded the motion and also congratulated the County Clerk on the able report he had brought, in. Cr. (BroadibeW. cougifatutated the County on the improved state of the finances. The rates had to be raised last year owing to the bud state the roads had previously been allowed to get into. They had now got them into good. order and could keep them so with the rates they proposed to collect.

Cr. Catley endorsed what had been sa-id in regard to the ability displayed by the treasurer. '.Regarding the Wimkino riding the position as shown was rather better than in reality. There were two sums amounting- to £3OO which bad been spent but not, on ’he mails for which they were put on the estimates. To this extent the riding was worse off than appeared. The roads were in a fairly satisfactory condition, but they were not what, they should be. Only the best, was good'enough and it was for the Council to keep the ideal always in mind.

.Cr. Darkness congratulated ■ Wiroki’no Hiding on having attained a credit balance instead of the debit which iliey hail been labouring under for some years. He was glad to npticc that the outstanding rates were nearly £I9OO lower than last year. This was to be put down to the'lowering of the- general rate last year. The season was not a -better one, but the fact that the rate was lower than previously operated in bringing the money in. He criticised at. length various phases of road maintenance, especially in regard to the main roads. general; hate.

’Hie genera] rates for the different ridings in the County were- fixed as follows, the old rate being given in brackets.— I Tokeni nru Id in the £ (Jd;, Wirokino Hiding JiTfjd): Otaki Riding gd (;-(d), Te Tioro |d (Id). The , discussion on the estimates will appear in a future issue.