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THE COUNTY YEAR.

REVIEW BY THE TREASURER.

CHAIRMAN REFERS TO LESSONS OF EXPERIENCE.

BETTER BASIS NEEDED FOR ROAD EXPENDITURE.

A report covering the financial activities and reflecting the progress made by the Horowhenua County Council was presented to the Council at its meeting on June 9th, by the County Clerk and Treasurer (Mr. F. H. Hudson). The statement was as under: — Receipts and Payments. The total receipts from all sources amounted to £IIO,BOO, and the total payments were £102,659. Rates. The rates levied amounted to £24,109, comprising general rates £14,424 and special and separate rates £9,685. The total collected was £20,583, leaving arrears amounting to £3516. Steady progress has been made with the collection of arrears brought forward from previous years, amounting to £6802, and .thisamount has now been reduced to £2422, > which is principally secured to the Council. Government Subsidy on Rates. , For the fifth year in succession the maximum Government subsidy of £2500 ■was obtained and has passed to the credit of the Riding as follows: —Tokoimaru Biding, £751 17s Id; Wirokino !Riding, £998 16s Id; Otaki Riding, £338 ;3s 6d; Te Horo Riding, £4ll 3s 4d. Main Highways Construction. The sum of was expended in (this connection during the year, which brings the total to date up to £105,378. 'The estimated total expenditure f,or main highways poll purposes was £146,000. The principal work during the -year was the completion of the Wai-kanae-Otaki bridge section, approximately nine miles, at a cost of £42,209, as compared with the estimate of £23,955. The following is the position in , respect to the estimated and actual expenditure on the remaining portions of ithe highways: — iNo. 1 Highway (Wbllington-Auckiand via Taranaki). Otaki bridge to Waikawa stream — six miles 65 ehains. —Estimated expenditure for loan poll £22,207; expended do 31st March, 1928, £25,512; expenditure over estimate, £3,305. Waikawa stream t,o Levin south -boundary—s miles, 30 ehains. —Estimated expenditure for loan poll, £10,218; expended to 31st March, 1928, £11,333; expenditure over estimate, £llls. Levin north boundary to Wirokino bridge—B miles, 40 chains. —Estimated ■expenditure for loan poll, £25,804; no expenditure to date. No. 60 Highway (Levin-Palmerston North via Shannon).

Levin to north boundary Wirokino (Riding—7 miles, 43 chains. —Estimated expenditure for loan poll, £24,084; •pended to 31st March, 1928, £12,934; unexpended balance, £11,150. North boundary Wirokino Riding to ■north boundary Tokomaru Riding—lo (miles, 47 chains. —Estimated expenditure for loan poll, £39,732; expended to 31st March, 1928, £8043; unexpended ■balance £31,689. Approximately the. sum, of £5347, or £5.12 per cent, has been expended in ■administration and general charges to -date, which includes engineering, cleriical, surveys/ costs of raising loans and tsundry other items. Main Highway Construction Loan Authorisation. The amount authorised by the ratepayers, it will be remembered, was £78,000 with which to provide the County's share of the re-construction programme. Of this sum, £69,000 has been raised to date, leaving a balance of £9OOO to be raised when required. The balance in hand of the loans so far raised is £10,874 and the actual amount expended as the County's contribution to date is £58,126. ' (Main Highways Construction Loan Interest and Sinking Fund. For the past three years the following amounts have been required to meet interest and sinking fund charges:— T 925-26, £221; 1926-27, £1.434; 1927-28, £3069. In addition thereto, interest on old main road loans amounted to £6OO 19s 2d annually. These loans mature gradually each year between 1930 and 1937. Main Highways Maintenance. The following is /the expenditure on Main Highways maintenance for the •past three vears:— M.H.B. H.C.C.

Main Highways Machinery Loan of £12,000. This loan was raised in 1925 and will mature £SOOO in 1930 and £7OOO in 1937. The sinking fund accrued to date amounts, with interest thereon, to £2844. Motor Lorry License Fees. The sum of £759 13s Id was received during the year as the Council’s share of the motor lorry license fees collected in No. 9 Highway District, and was allocated to thd ridings on the basis of capital value and mileage of metalled roads. The riding shares were as follows:—Tokomaru Riding, £l9l 9s 4d; Wirokino Riding, £315 6s 2d; Otaki Riding, £IOB 13s; Tc Horo Riding, £144 4s 7d. Machinery and Plant Working Account. The receipts from the hire of the machinery and plant amount to £25,160, which includes a credit balance of £1606 brought'forward from the year previous. On the expenditure side, it is found that £20,615, including interest and sinking fund, was necessary, leaving a balance of £4545 to be carried to the repairs and renewal fund. Riding Account. ;

Tokomaru Riding.—The total receipts for the year amount to £5059, comprising £1441 of a credit balance brought forward from the previous year, share of general revenue £34,26, and motor

lorry license fees £192. The expenditure amounts to £3624, made up as follows: —Main highways maintenance £937, share of installation of Manawatu river punt £306, main highways construction loan interest £245, general riding road maintenance, contributions to special works and antecedent liability repayment £2136. The year, therefore, closes with a credit balance of £1435. During the coming year it is anticipated that provision will have to be made for the raising of a loan with which to meet this riding’s contribution to.the new Manawatu River bridge and approach road thereto, the amount being in the vicinity of .£5894. The general rate levied was 11-16 d. Wirokino Riding.—The receipts in this riding amounted to £6413, consisting of a surplus from last year of £IO6O, share of general revenue £5003, share of motor lorry license fees £315, and sundry refunds £35. On the expem diture side the sum of £2636 was spent on district roads, share of main highways maintenance £1053, share antecedent liability repayment £794, and interest and sinking fund on main highway construction £721, making a total in all of £5204. The year closes with a credit balance of £1209. #The general rate levied was 11-16 d.

Otaki Riding.—This riding commenced. the year with a credit balance of £628, to which has been added share of general revenue £1698, share motor lorry license fees £IOB, and sundry refunds £7, making the total receipts £2441. The expenditure comprised maintenance of district roads and sundries £llO9, main highways maintenance £422, interest and sinking fund for main highways construction £666, and antecedent liability, repayment and interest £9O, bringing the -total up to £2287. The year, therefore, closed wit a credit balance of £154. • The ,general rate levied was 5-8 d in the pound. Tc Horo Riding.—This riding "brought forward a credit balance of £477, to which is added share of general revenue £2687, share motor lorry license fees £144, and sundry refunds £73, which brings the total receipts up to £3381. The expenditure comprises district road maintenance and sundries £2027, main highways maintenance £4OB, share antecedent liability repayment and interest £142, interest and sinking fund on main highway construction expenditure £1169, * making b total of £3746 expended during 1 the year. Owing to the excess expenditure on main highway construction in this riding, the interest and sinking fund charges have been rather more than was estimated'' (£796), and this has chiefly contributed to the debit balance of £365 with which this account closes the year. The general rate levied was 13-16 d in the pound. The riding accounts are generally in a satisfactory position, with the exception of the Te Horo riding account which has had to face a greater expenditure in the way of interest and sinking fund on its share of main highways construction loan than was origin,ally anticipated. This position is at present the subject of negotiations w T ith the Main Highways Board. The Chairman’s Review. The chairman (Mr. G. A. Monk) extended his congratulations to Mr. Hudson on the manner in which he had set out the position. The report in some respects was a little unsatisfactory, as in the case ,of portions of the main highway construction, but otherwise it showed an improvement in the position. The Council was labouring under the disability of outstanding rates as a result of the 1920-2.1 slump. The poorer classes of land had had a great difficulty in over-taking the amounts that fell into arrears. The trouble had been accentuated to a considerable extent by a new valuation, delaying the issuing of the rate demands for 1920-21 till about the end of the year, with the result that £II,OOO was in arrears in March, 1921, with the slump on top of that, the Council had the greatest difficulty to make up the lost ground. The amount of outstanding rates was still too great. If that money could be collected in the next month or two and made use of, it would relieve the position. This was something which the Council could not expect, but it did expect that the ratepayers would make every endeavour to meet those liabilities. The estimates had been framed each year on the rates struck and outstanding. The sum of £6OOO outstanding last March meant that the Council had to carry a big load, which increased the cost of County administration, because an extra effort had to be made for collection, entailing more cost. •Continuing, the chairman said he felt that, during the past few years, the efficiency of the office had been added to, and, with regard to the records, they were now being augmented and would be very valuable from the point of view of local body government. The Council had been placed under the difficulty that many of the old records had been destroyed and subsequently a good many were not kept. Mr. Hudson, as County Clerk, was endeavouring to get records that would be of value to the County, and to some extent he was succeeding. A Time of Anxiety. The year had been fraught with a good deal of concern to the Council and the staff. They had had their difficulties, but he would like to say that both the staff and the Council had worked very hard to overcome those difficulties. These had been added to by the fact that, during the year, Mr. W. N. Anderson relinquished his position as engineer ’ and it was some months before the new engineer, Mr. J. T.; M. Brewster, could take up his duties. During the interim the assistant engineer, Mr. Callander, had carried on, and the speaker appreciated very much the good work that he did. For a young officer he rose to the occasion, and the thanks of the Council were due to him for the good showing that he made. The speaker had every hope that Mr. Brewster would give entire latisfaction, and that the affairs of the

Council would return to their normal running.

During the present year the Otaki Borough Commission had held its sittings, and incidentally it caused a good deal of work for the office staff. The County Clerk prepared a very excellent report, which he presented to the Commission, and which, the speaker thought, would be helpful to it; and both Mr. Hudson and himself gave some evidence. He hoped, for the sake of their neighbouring local body, that the result of the Commission would be to get Otaki out of its difficulties.

State Highways. Referring to the main highways construction scheme, the chairman said that the County now had a total of 22.27 miles of completed work. Preparations had been made for an additional seven miles to be completed in the ensuing season. The Council had met with very great difficulties in connection with highway construction during the past year, owing to the fact that the estimated cost or much of the work was greatly exceeded. The result had been a very great disappointment to the Council. The -effect of it was that, the whole burden of the ( excess had to be borne by the ratepayers, and the job would not be altogether economically sound. In 1925-26 the total expenditure on main highways maintenance was £7042, of which the Council’s share was £4045. In 1927-28 the total expenditure on maintenance was reduced to £6715, the County’s share being £2688. To this last figure had to be added interest and sinking fund, £3069, making £5757, as against £4045, the Council’s share in 1925-26. When the Council first went in for- the scheme, the maintenance subsidy was only 6s v ßd in the £, but during the interim the subsidy had been increased —and rightly so-—to 30s to the £l. He "would not say that that was nearly as much as the user should bear as a result of the petrol tax; but that -was what had happened, and it did appear to-day that the ratepayer, who gave authority for raising £78,000 for highways construction, must not be asked to contribute one penny more than what had -been authorised, because the position would be absolutely unsound from their point of •view. If the highways were to be completed after the Council had spent : j£78,000, the user must pay the balance. Even then, and with the maintenance increased from 6s 8d to 30s to the £l, the position -was not as sound as the Council would like.

It would be necessary for the Council to confer with the Highways Board and come to some definite arrangement as to what their subsidy was to be, both on past and future work* 'When the scheme was commenced the Council considered that it was entitled, to a subsidy of more than £1 f pr- £1 over a certain portion. Applications on these lines were several times refused before an increase was granted.

There was another factor connected - with the highways about which the Council had been agitating for years, but in regard to which- it had not got very far. That was .the fd-et that the - administrative cost was borne wholly by this Council, ' Something like five per cent, was the amount that had been charged. It stood po reason that there •was this much less to spend on the roads. No definite conclusion had yet been arrived at by -the Board on this head. Completion Necessary. It appeared very necessary that the ‘scheme should be completed for the t amount authorised, with a sufficient ihigh subsidy; and the Council was doting the right thing in authorising the engineer to bring down a report on the > whole matter, subject to the Board being prepared to pay the necessary subsidy. There were two or three matters which were very urgent in relation to sthe main highways work. Three bridges 'to the south of Levin—at Kuku, Waiikawa and Manakau—were in a bad • state, and their Te-construction would have to-be undertaken, i* possible, during the coming year. The contract for the erection of -the Kara bridge, Shannon, had been let; the work was well under way, and a very nice structure would result, which would greatly assist in the backing system of the Makerua Drainage Board. He hoped that this work w r ould be completed before the next big flood happened. A considerable amount of tinemployment existed in the district, and if the Council could start some more of the highways work next month it -would greatly facilitate the absorption of this labour. He knew a greaj number of men of a hard-working type who would give the County very good service if •the Council could employ them. It was •urgent that a decision be arived at vby the Highways Board as to what it was going to do. The Council could take several men into its employ- ' Referring to the incresed cost of hospital maintenance, the chairman said 'that, whilst the Council regretted this very much, the representatives on the Board realised that that body was doing its utmost to keep down the cost to the local bodies and at the same time maintain the efficiency necessary in hospital administration. New Valuation LikelyThe chairman went on to say that he understood from the Valuer-General that there would be a new valuation of the County during the coming year. A good deal of re-valuation had gone on, particularly in the flax lands, during the past year. This was in accordance with an Act of last session, and properties had been reduced in valuation in the Tokomaru Riding, with the probable result that there would be a reaction on other lands, which would have to bear an added'burden. It was to-be hoped that the Department would undertake a valuation of the whole County, and not of properties here and there. He did not suggest that these reductions were not necessary,. but, to make the position as -fair as it should

be, the whole of the properties shoiild be re-valued. i t Thanks for Support and Service. The chairman expressed sincere thanks to the Couneil for the support accorded him as chairman during the past year. The Council-had passed through a strenuous period, and it was just as well for Councillors not to look back oyer it. He hoped that the coming year would; be a better one. He would like to thank Councillors for the splendid support they had accorded him in very many difficult situations with which they had had to grapple. The chairman also expressed his thanks to the staff for their entire loyalty. Nothing had been too much trouble 1 for them. There had been such a volume of information sometimes to deal with that he had wondered if he would be able to grasp if. This task, however, had been made as easy as possible for him by the office staff. He would also • like to thank the Press for the pub. icity which was really the means by which the pouncil reached the. public. They had at all t'-mc.s endeavoured to give fair reports Of the Council’s proceedings. It had been suggested that the Couneil had been doing too muchcommittee work, but it was necessary in a big undertaking to go a good 1 deal into committee. It was not the Council’s intention that anything that should have ; the" light of publicity should be kept from the public. The ehairman also thanked the committees, and expressed th& hope that the good service would- be rendered by. them as in the past year.

Councillors’ .Comments. Cr. Ryder endorsed the chairman ’s remarks in regard to the County Clerk, and said that Mr. Hudson was one .of the most efficient clerks sitting at any Council table in New Zealand. The speaker felt \hat the past year had not been a favourable one. He had.givea of his best, however, and believed, that i all who had worked under him had ’done likewise. Underthe neiv engineer things should go along quite amicably. iTliere were some good labourers'-now out of work, and if the Council eoiild help them it should do so, Cr. Catley expressed his appreciation i of the services of the staff and thanked the chairman for having placed the -position so clearly before, the meeting, lit might be said that some of the roads 'were not up to their past standard, • but considering the traffic they had to ‘bear, they were in Very fair condition. fCr. Catley referred to hospital- expenditure and said that there were many -bad debts in the Palmerston district in Ithis connection, and the‘-amount-of •charitable aid had been on the increase. 1 As to highway'matters there was . noth>ing to be alarmed over, but he.hoped ’that the Council would attempt to cut out waste wherever possible. ( Cr. McLeavey said -the staff -should *be congratulated, not only on their / •work, but on the very courteous ,manner in which they received any Councillor who wanted information. It was a pleasure to him tp go rouM the district with his colleagues, who worked "amicably together with him. believed that the Council was . doing its best for the ratepayers. Cr. Kilsby also praised the work, of the staff. There had been difficulties *ta be met, but he believed that the Couni eil would overcome them.

The treasurer’s report was on the motion of the chairman, seconded ,by Cr. Ryder.

Mr. Monk then vacated the chair-in order that nominations might be called ' for the position. County Clerk’s Acknowledgment Mr. Hudson, on behalf of expressed- appreciation of the remarks passed in reference to him. He felt that he had a very loyal staff, in whom he could place every confidence. He 'thanked the chairman for his- advice i and assistance in the discharge of many duties. It might not be boastful •to claim that there was not a bettcrcoun!ty chairman in New Zealand. The past year had been one of vicissitudes,* but ; the lessons learned would help-4he -Council to meet any difficulties which might confront it in the future. Cr. Ryder nominated Mr. Monk for - re-election, and in doing so said that it was over 12 years ago that- the speaker had first nominated him and iltfi .had occupied that position ever since. Cr. Bryant seconded' the -nomination, rand it was supported by Crs. Catley, ! Kilsby, and Whyte, all paying high tributes to Mr. Monk’s capacity, hi* • energy, and his sound grasp of the 1 business of the County. Chairman Re-elected. No other nominations being received, 1 the Clerk declared Mr. Monk re-eleeted ichairman, the announcement being" followed by applause. In resuming offiee the chairman'-said lie did not think that any occasion made a man realise his shortcomings more than when he heard himself eulogised by his fellow Councillors. He had bee* connected with local bodies since 1911, and this was his 14th term as chairman of this Council. If the Councillors thought he could be of service, to them, then he was quite willing, to carry on and endeavour as in the past to give of his best. When he assumed the position for the thirteenth year there was some jocular reference t© its fatalism, and as it turned out it was. a year of difficulties, but now that it was past he felt that he had broken new ground and looked forward to a term of greater prosperity. The chairman announeed that the present committees would carry on until the next meeting of the Couneil, when the new committees would' be elected. The .Couneil would. meet as early as possible," to strike the rat«; probably the meeting would be held in a fortnight, but Councillors would be notified in due course.

Total. fchare. Share. £ £ £ 1925-26 .... 7042 2997 4045 1926-27 .... 7138 3975 3163 1927-28 .... 6715 4027 2688

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SNEWS19280626.2.13

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Shannon News, 26 June 1928, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
3,727

THE COUNTY YEAR. Shannon News, 26 June 1928, Page 4

THE COUNTY YEAR. Shannon News, 26 June 1928, Page 4

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