HISTORY IN FIGURES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 91, 17 April 1912, Page 5

HISTORY IN FIGURES.

STRATFORD BOROUGHCOUNCIL’S AFFAIRS. i DISCLOSED IN BALANCE- < SHEETS. History is always interesting. Documentary evidence is as strong a descript on of evidence as one could wish. It is alleged that figures cannot lie. Therefore, what could be more telling than a review of the affairs of the Stratford Borough Council than a short run tnrongh its bal-ance-sheets? Surely nothing could ho more telling. It is intended to roughly summarise the various balance-sheets of the Borough. No attempt will be made to point morals, draw conclusions, or issue warnings to the present or future generations of Stratford ratepayers : all that is intended is to summarise the various documents; and it will remain for the ratepayer to point his own morals, to draw his own conclusions, and to take unto hunseli whatsoever warnings the given summaries may contain. 1901. To all intents and purposes the Borough of Stratford was founded m 1900—at any rate, the first filed bal-ance-sheet is for that year. In 1900 the receipts totalled £lB6 17s 2d. The general rate contributed £444 12s lOd, and licenses £337 6s Bd. The debit balance at the beginning,,cf 1900 was £177 17s Bd, and the expenditure totalled £2Bll 9s 5d leaving a debit balance of £949 12s 3d. I he chief item of expenditureiin the administrative branch was £ll7 10s foi the clerk. Other big items were:— Roads, £757 i9s Id; Town Hall and Council Chambers, £442 19s Cxi; paid to County Council as per agreement on constitution of Borough, £694 3s 4d. i The Cemetery Account, with a credit brought forward of £llO 13s Cxi. showed a credit at the end of the veai of £123. A loan of £IO,OOO was antli■orised for street construction. Six thousand pounds was raised, of which £2938 5s 9d was expended, leaving the loan in credit £3663 9s 3d. A thousand pounds was raised for the Municipal Chambers, the ■ whole of the money being expended. A loan ot £b-.)Uu was authorised to repay existing Government loans, all of which u as expended with the exception of £0.!2 9s 3d. Interest was paid either to the Treasury or to the County Council for loans for work on Broadway, Victoria Bridge, Town District, Juliet Street, Page Street, Fenton and Cordelia Streets, Cloton Road, and £4OOO of the first Borough loan. The statement of balances disclosed a credit on all counts of £3488 0s 9d. In assets and liabilities, rates outstanding totalled £143 7s lid; and the bank overdraft £667 Ins 9d The statement of public debt is 'short':, £6900 at . 4J per cent., due “ 1920; £7200 at 4| per cent., due 1921. The statement of reserves contains the /names .of old identities, but they are ;100 numerous,to mention. R. B. fatten 'and. T. H. P.enn sign the ' document, a?nl, J. K. Warburton certifies to its Correctness; , ~ .. •-1' • f- tThe receipts Totalled - £1734 2s 3d, ■ rates £1033 ills od, rents £173 15s, and licenses £403 17s od. The expenditure totalled £2982 0s 4d, the chief items being:—Clerk £l/0 35.4 d, roads £IOBO. 9s 9d, lighting £92 Is 9d, and fire prevention £6O. Inc Cemetery account showed a credit bill- . anco-of £llß 14s 3d.. .A sum of £452-8 6s 5d Was spent on roads, reducing the credit balance on the £IO,OOO loan account to £2251 17s 9d. The credit bab anco of the loan for repayment of loans was reduced to £365 Is sd. A sum of £3BOO was receded. from the Treasury in respect of a loan of £BOOO for waterworks, the whole being expended with the exception of £Bl4 8s 7d. Nine hundred pounds ‘.waj)' received on behalf of a loan of £3OOO for drama®). ■ the* 'loan’money being over-expended to the extent of £lls 8s /d. Of tne ... Town, Hall loan of £3OOO the whole Avas expended excepting £1430 10s. A - credit of £3974 3s 2d is disclosed by 1 the statement 'of balances. 1 he total public debt Avas £25,516 4s Idi J. EWarburton testifies to finding the accounts correct, and H. Norman Liar- ‘ /lot, ‘and E. F. Hemingway s:gn the balance-sheet, 1903, , The total receipts were £2417 Is 7d —rates £ISOO 13s 2d, Government subsidy £lB3 7s 2d, rents £l9l Is, licenses £462 2s 3d. The expenditure totalled £4279 8s 2d—town clerk £l/o, streets £1548 15s 6d, Hospital Board iiiuy i-ts XRI, I'ire Vitoria Park £lO9 16s lid, lighting £lO/ 5s 3d, Coronation memorial expenses £343 13s 7d. The credit balance on the Cemetery account was 4s Ki. A sum of £4B 0s Id was collected as library rate, the account showing a debit of £ll 19s lid. Iho water rate collected amounted to £45 6s sd, th account showing a credit ot The receipts from the town Hall aacic £330 2s 6d, and the expenditure £4-o 14. Od, a debit of £95 12, 3d. 1 lie eredit balance on the road loan was hlhn 4s 8d; the credit balance on the waterworks loan was £7BO 0s 7d ; the ere- , dit on the drainage loan £loo 10s 2(1 , ■ and the Town Hall loan was squared off. The statement of balances showed a credit balance of £1025 14s. 1 he public debt was £31,973 5s 6d. J. EWarburton found everything correct in the document, signed by N. J. Emg and E. F. Hemingway. 1904, The receipts were £2835 15s 2d—rates £1571 12s sd, Government subs;dy £lB4 9s scl, rents £162 5s 6(1; licenses £484 15s 7d. The expenditure totalled £4344 2s—town clerk £l9l 13s 4d, clerical assistance £33 15s, Mayor’s honorarium £SO, hospital £lOl 1 Is lid, fire brigade £174 5s lOd, lighting £l3B 15s Id, streets £1321 12s 2d. The Cemetery account showed a credit of, £153 10s 3d; the library showed a debit of £lB 6s lid; the water account showed a credit of £240 8s 2(1 the Town Hull n, debit of JLlol 4s Od, the street loan a credit of £525 4 s 6(U the waterworks loan a debit or x-2o 10s sd; the drainage loan was squared off; a neAV drainage loan of £2OOO was expended, all except £762 (S lid; an abattoir loan of £SOOO was all expended except £6BB 17s sd. T.be C, and A. General (J. K. Warburton) finds everything correct except that the payment of £3 10s 3d harbour rates is without the authority of- Eav. The public debt was £37.339 6s 6d. N. J. King and B, F. HemingAvay sign the document. 1905, The receipts Avere £2786 6s lOd—rates £lsll 18s lOd; Government subsidy £lB7 10s, rents £l7B 8s 9d. licenses £479 Its 6d, Toavh Hall £l5O 7a, abattoir £265 15s 3d, The expenditure was £4358 12s sd—town clerk £2OO, streets £BOI 18s Bd, lighting £l6l 4s lid, fire brigade £lO6 15s lid. hoap’tal £74 15s 2d, Town Hall £436 19s 7d, abattoir £276 11s lid. The Cemetery account shoAved a credit balance of £173 17s Id, library debit £42 0s Dd, water credit £764 Is Id, street loan . credit £157 11s lOd, repayment ley squared off. drainage 10/m credit £554 Rs 3d. abattoir loan credit £45 6s 7d. Examined and found correct, ,1. K. Warburton; signed N. J. King and E.

F. Hemingway. Tno public dcot was £33,686 18s 4cl. 1336. Receipts £3393 16s od—rates £IB3B 18s 3d, rents £lB3 !)s 6d, licenses £460 10s od. Town Hall £lB5 12s (id, abattoir £994 9s 3d. The expenditure was £4883 12s 2d—toAvn clerk £2OO, lighting £167 13s Id, fire brigade £63 8s 3d, streets £1044 19s Bd, Toavu Hall £266 9s lOd, abattoir £553 16s lid. The Cemetery account showed a credit of £197 16s 7d, new Cemetery account was square—£l2s 8s sd; Avater account, credit £SOO 9s od ; street loan, squared off; drainage loan, squared off; abattoir loan, credit £32 lOs 7d. J. W. Boynton, Deputy C. and A. finds tAvo faults—(l) Cemetery moneys have not been kept in a separate account at the bank, and (2) Cemetery moneys have been unlawfully vised for Borough purposes. The public debt was £38,866 18s 4d. _The document is signed by N. J. King and E. F. Hemingway. 1907. The receipts were £3555 7s 9d—rates £1668 19s 'ld, Government subsidy £lB7 10s, licenses £SOO 18s 3d, rents £l6l 12s, Town Hall £226 0s lOd, abattoir £592 18s 3d. The expenditure Avas £4503 14s 2d—town clerk £240, streets £1343 3s 3d, lighting £l6B 9s, fire brigade £55 12s scl, hospital £133 13s lid, Town Hall £297 9s 3d, abattoir. £603 9s Id. The _ old Cemetery account showed a credit of £2ll 18s 4cl, neAV Cemetery debit £96 13s; water, credit £349 11s 4d; abattoir loan squared off. J. K. Warburton finds (a) that Cemetery moneys have not been kept' in separate accounts at the bank; (b) that the moneys of one cemetery have been unlawfully used for Borough purposes; and (c) that moneys of the Borough District Fund have unlaAvfully been used for the purposes of the other cemetery. P. F. llalfe and E. F. Hemingway sign the document. The public debt Avas £38,873 3s 9d. 1903. The 1 receipts Avero £3511 18s sd—rates £1672 6s Id, licenses £484 15s Cd, rents £157 18s, Town Hall £lB2 5s Id, abattoir £569 9s Bd. The expenditure totalled £5037 0s 2d—town clerk £2lO, administration £221 13s 7d, streets £1767 19s Id, lighting £163 13s sd, fire brigade £l3O 8s 3d, hospital £156 15s Id, library £B9 3s 11(1, Town Hall £267 ss, abattoir £607 8s l id. The old cemetery account shoAved a credit balance of £217 13s Id; new cemetery, debit £67 19s 7d; water, credit £334 16s lid. The public debt was £38,873 3s 9d. J. K. Warburton repeats that cemetery moneys have not been kept in separate accounts at the bank, and assorts that the moneys of one cemetery have been unlaAvfully used to reduce'.the Borough overdraft at the bank and'the charges to the Kopuatama Cemetery exceed the provision made to meet them. P. F. Ralfe and E. F. HemingAvay sign the document. 1309. The receipts Avero £3644 14s Id—rates £1712 8s 2d, licenses £507 9s Bd, rents £lsl 11s, Toavh Hall £212 14s 3d, abattoir £679 3s lOd. The expenditure Avas £5579 6s 9cl — town clerk £240, administration £221 3s Id, streets £1794 0s 4d, lighting £176 13s lid, fire brigade £B6 14s od, hospital £144 12s, Town Hall £284 9s 2d, abattoir £620 11 s lid. The old cemetery account showed a credit of £216 Is let, new' cemetery debit £33 17s 2d ; water, credit £175 0s od; waterworks loan, credit £1852 3s. The-public debt was £40,873 3s 9d. J. K. Warburton repeated his remarks of the previous year. G. Songster and E. F. Hemingway sign the document. 1910. The receipts were £3950 17s Id—rates £1740 3s, licenses £515 16s 4d, rents £203, Toavh Hall £282 9s od. abattoir £772 17s. The expenditure was £7174 8s lOd—town clerk £240. administration £207 6s, streets £2769 3s Bd, lighting £282 5s sd, fire brigade £l4-6 ,4s fid, hospital £144 13s. Town Hall £262 13s 9d, library £127 16s, ■abattoir £596 10s 9d. The old cemetery. shoAved a credit balance of £205 12s lOd, new cemetery, debit £26 18s 3d; water, credit £666 0s 5(1; waterworks loan (£4000), credit £1472 10s od. R. J. Collins (C. and A. G.) remarks:—(a) Cemetery moneys have not been kept in a separate account at the bank, and the credit balance of £205 12s lOd of Cemetery No. 1 has been unlaAvfully used for general purposes, while the charges to Cemetery Account No. 2 exceed the provision made to meet them; (b) the special rates Avhich Avere made and which it was necessary to levy in order to secure the loans B and C in the inlerest account have not been collected to a sufficient amount to pay the interest thereon; (c) special rates collected for and applicable only to the payment of interest on loans have, to the amount of £278 0s 2d, unlawfully been used for other purposes; and (d) an amount of £2 14s 6d, interest on overdraft, has wrongly been charged to Loan No. 3. The public debt Avas £42.899 17s sd. The document is signed by J. Masters and E. F. Hemingway. 1911. The receipts Avere £3866 Is Oilrates £1722 0s lid, licenses £544 3s 3d. rents £204 10s 6d, Toavh Hal! £349 12s 9d, abattoir £712 18s 7d. The expenditure was £7664 8s 2d—town clerk £269 3s Id, administration £290,5s Bd, streets £1923 13s 2d, lighting £241 13s 6d, fire brigade £7l 17s, abattoir £716 16s lid, Town Hall £368 19s lid, library £IOB 4s 3d. The old cemetery shows a credit of £199 11s Id, neAV cemetery, debit £6 5s 9(1; water, credit £863 2s 5d ; waterwork loan, credit £63 8s 7d. The remarks of 11. J. Collins are much the same as in the previous year. The public debt Avas £42,899 17s sd. J. Masters and P. Skoglund sign the document. 1912. Tlie receipts were £4890 8s 7d—rates £2491 7s 7d, licenses £613 15s sd, rents £222 13s Gd. Town Hall £293 7s Gel, abattoirs £7OO sj> 3d. The expenditure was £7845 16s 7d—-town clerk £258 os. administration £319 0s lOd. streets £1465 10s, lighting £238 5s Bd, fire brigade £134 I ts Id, abattoir £6Bl 7s 9d, hospital £133 12s 9d, Town Hall £314 16s lid. The old cemetery account shoAved a credit of £l9O 18s 7d, neAV cemetery, debit £2 2s lid; water, credit £982 2s sd; water loan £4OOO. credit £l2 18s /d. NOTA GENE. The foregoing is merely a rough statement. All items of receipts and expenditure have not been particularised. The “expenditure” each year includes the debit balance from tne previous year. The Avh.olo story :s descried merely to give a general idea of the Borough’s affairs.