TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 6 November 1907, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

THE CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REVIEW. Mr J. Brown, County Chairman, submitted his annual report to the Council on Monday. lie said that as this was the last meeting of the present term at which he would have the honor to preside as chairman, lie had much pleasure in laying before them a synopsis of the Council's labors during his term of office. MEETINGS. There were held twelve ordinary and six special meetings. The latter were for statutory purposes —passing special orders, and adoption of balance-sheets. No special meeting was held for the transaction of ordinary business. ROADS. During the year he went through three ridings—portions of them on several occasions—and the roads, with one exception, were in fair order. During the year there were delivered on the

•ounty roads 7252 yards of metal as follows: Moa riding, 3128 yds", average :ost (is Od per yd; Waitara riding, 1009 vds, average cost 5s Id per yd; Omata

iding, 2407 yds, average cost 5s Od per 'd; or 7202 yards in all. The maxiuurn price in the Moa riding was 10s 7d icr yd, minimum 5s 3d per yd; Waitara •iding, fls 3d to 4s 9d; Omata riding, fs Od and 3s 2d. It would be seen

that the maximum price 10s 7d was paid' in the Moa riding, and the minimum price, 3s 2d, in the Omata riding. The sum of £4403 3s 5d was expended on roads, irrespective of the amount expended on Tapuae re-formation, viz., £732 18s Id. From this there would be some recoveries to he deducted, but on the whole the expenditure had been v.'iy heavy.

BRIDGES. The Council had constructed further reinforced bridges as follows:—Waiwa-1 uailio, completed, cost to date £3267 18s 5(1; Oakura, completed, total cost C4BB 12s 4d; Waipuku-iti bridge, completed, £SM 14s Od; Mangaoi'aka bridge, in course of erection, £430; Nor-folk-road concrete cnlvn't. bridge, £BO .is—total, £4775 10"s 3d. These, with the exception of the latter two bridges, had been constructed oat of the Bridge i>ian, and plans were now before the Council for a new beam reinforced concrete bridge across the llenui river on the Junction-road. A pleasing feature in connection with the bridges account was the reduction in cost of repairs to wooden structures namely, £ll7 13; 2d for upkeep for the year, or about one-sixth of the repairs to bridges some few years ago. COLLECTION OF RATES.

This was being vigorously During the past year arrears "of rates amounting to £431 lis 8d were collected. With a view of having the rates collected closer up on the 31st of March the rates were struck one month earlier than in previous years this year; but unfortunately his anticipations in this direction were not being realised, there being only about £9l more paid this year than last. The troublesome question of Maori rating was attacked, and efforts so far had Deen successful, not one judgment remaining unpaid. Two special rating test cases were taken in hand—Waitara borough for bridge rate, and Tariki-road. Judgment on the latter case had not been delivered. Tile first ease went against the defendants. The Council had decided to make all future payments for interest on the Bridge Loan out of the general account, and had passed a special order for that purpose. FINANCE. The bank balance to-day was £4193, and considerably in excess of the overdraft at the same date last year, the • large capital expenditure on deviations and bridges being responsible for the i increase. However, he hoped that when the present works in hand and under consideration were completed the Couni eil would be able to reduce the general [ rate and carry on without again in- , creasing it. It was not necessary for him to take up the Council's time giving ' details of receipts and expenditure, as ■ the balance-sheet for the half-year ended [ 30th September was on the table. They , would notice that there had been an ex- [ penditure out of revenue on public works for the half-year of £4586 10s ' sd, which was undoubtedly a heavy item. 1 GENERAL. Nothing of unusual interest had occurred during his term of oflice. An amicable settlement was arranged between the Eitzroy Town Board and the County, consequent on the severance of the former body from the county. The Tapuae reformation, which had been their Land Bill, would, stated the engineer, be finished that day. It had been dragging on for over two years, Like the poor, it was always with them. Me tendered members his sincere thanks for their courtesy and Kind assistance throughout his term of oflice. There were times when the chairman had to assert himself, and lie hoped his rulings had been accepted in the spirit in which they were given—namely, in the in--1 terests of the ratepayers and the county as a whole. Mr. Brown submitted estimates of receipts and expenditure for the ensuing half-year, and expressed his opinion that, • assuming the Council entered into no [ new engagements other than the or- ■ dinary works at present in hand, the , overdraft would be approximately £2299 on the 31st of March, 1908. However, ■ should it be decided to proceed with i the Oakura filling and deviation and ; metalling Tapuae reformation, the posi- , tion would be as follows:—Overdraft, £2299; expenditure Oakura filling and oridgc, say £000; metalling Tapuae reformation, say £300; engineering, £3O —a total overdraft of £3229. The financial year began with an overdraft of £512, and should the result of the current half-year result as estimated, the Council would then have borrowed from the bank in one year the sum of £2717. ISo provision was made for compensation for land at Oakura deviation and Tapuae, or for any further land that might be required to be taken at the latter. No allowance was made for lowering the South-road through Okato township. The chairman said he could not conclude his report without reference to the county clerk, for undoubtedly in Mr. ICllis they had the right man in the right place. Without Ins assistance the chairman thought he would have had to spend half his time in New Plymouth. Air. Ellis had not asked for an increased remuneration, but Mr. Brown thought the Council should do something for him. He mentioned that the clerk did not conlinc himself to the oflice hours, but was often working until very late at night—he had known him t» be working till midnight. He didn't think the general body of ratepayers knew that or expected him to do it. the least the Council could do would be to pay the cost of the assistance in !'iie oflice. They had a good man, and should take care not lo lose him. la answer to Councillor Andrews, the chin-man said the clerk received £l5O a year and 2'/, per cent, on rates, which, if all collected, were about 'J,M)O. Owing to the great energy with whielf Mr. Ellis had tackled the overdue and, ill many cases, statutebarred rates, lie had got few arrears ii-iw on the books, and his income was ■lot likely to be as big in the future : • it had been. Mr. Ellis had got in a loi of rates that the Council had tii light irrecoverable. Councillor Tate said that during his term as chairman ho had had cvc'.y clauee of estimating the value of the clerk and he considered it in the interest:; of the ratepayers to assist such a good olllcer. The Council had never ia the course of its existence been so well situated in respect to its oflice work. (Or. Hopson: Hear, hear.) Cr Hopson moved ami Cr. Tate seconded that the Council pay 10s per wvk towards the salary of the clerk's assistant, and the motion was carried unanimously without fnrtlier discussion.