THE BURGESSES' BURDEN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 332, 26 January 1909, Page 3

THE BURGESSES' BURDEN

WIIEIIE TIIK MONEY HUES. How, frequently one hears burgesses toinparjiig, in fashion unfavourable to their representatives, the aiiiniuil of work achieved by the local authority with the amount of nioiiov raised in rates. Speaking at the Borough Council table last night, Councillor (I. W. I.rmviie advocated a system of separate rates for specific objects, with « view of enabling the ratepayers to see where the Coiinei!',s ivvciiue eanie from, how much was expended on streets, etc..and, more particularly, how much went in subsidies.

Aeeording to iHii.ii>,'. ijr. JJrowno mitv I'd Hint the subsidy payable to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoard be raised by separata annual rate instead of being out of general revenue, as at present, anil that the Kinance Committee take stops to strike the neeessarv rate for the forthcoming year." Speaking to the motion, llr. Browne sa.i<l he wished it understood from the outlet that he had no intention of raising the

lates or [iciiiilisinj; the ratepayers in :iny way. Hut lit- wanted to emphasise tile principle that the subsidies .should be raised direct. This principle was adopted ill niany.Xew Zealand boroughs, which he named. He thought that if people could see clearly that every subsidy meant an increased rate, or the staning of tile streets, lite requests for subsidies would not lie ?)» frequent. New Plymouth Council paid out Cil) a nrrk in subsidies, and that was too much to pay. The bulk of the people believed that the whole of Ihe general rate of is Id in the £ on the annual value was devoted to streets, channelling, asphalting, and so on. Thar mte produced C2U24. A special rate <if

Is (ill in the £ brought in ,C4(K5(>, and Jill tliis Wits absorbed in paving interest. A_water rate of lid in the ,C niise'd C77i), ami the total rate revenue was 177,")!). Deducting £5701) paid out in interest, and CIISI paid in subsidies, thev would see lliat there was onlv £IC>OB left for carrying on the work of the borough, with its :14 miles of streets and (ill miles of footpaths to maintain, new streets to open. and so on. Subsidies were:—Hospital and charitable aid, £4o(i per annum; ii>'. creation (irounds, £200; Fire Board, .cirri); library, .dOO; Western Parky £SO; Band concerts, £2O; cemeterv (this year only), £25; tcelraieal school, £SO (as yet unpaid). • This made

*lOOl, or at least 4'/ 4 d of the annual rate. Mr. Browne pointed lo tlie increase of the borough's hospital contribution from £335 in l!IOfi-7 to £3.3!) IS.s in lUO7-8, and £4OK in 10011, and sadi that this rate of increase could not go on without the streets being starved. The Taranaki County Council's figur"s for corresponding periods were £G1?) 18s £G7'2, and £744 2s ut £4O in lOOS-ft from Kitzroy Town Board). They had it on the authority of ])rs. Valintinc and Frengley that in a very few years the New Plymouth hospital buildings must be demolished and replaced. The cost of this would be somewhere about £IO,OOO or £12.000. The hospital could not overdraw; its only means of raising revenue was bv means of levies on contributing .local' bodies, and the ratepayers must expect heavy levies in the aext year or two. . (if course, the erection of the buildings

would lie spread over three or four years, which wnulil distribute the burden; but still the hospital subsidy would need to be doubled during that time. The Council hail only one other bi» source of revenue, the £1205 derivable from extraordinary water sjipplv, and that had been spent—and over-spent bv £l2s—in extending the reticulation anil the sewerage system in the borough. In answer to a c|uestion, the mover said hi' wanted people to be able to see exactly how much was devoted to this subsidy.

Councillor Coll is, in seconding tire motion pro forma, said that that if tlie niover would make it apply to all subsidies lie would second the motion unconditionally, la many boroughs this system was adopted, 'with the result that the general rate was made to look low in comparison to nnrs. A general rate of )0d or lid in the ,£ would look better in print than the present Is Id rate.

The motion was amended as suggested. Councillor Mills suggested that the change advocated by Councillor Browne would have tlie effect of reducing the Government subsidy payable to the Council; and the Town Clerk said that if-the general rate were reduced below one shilling a loss in subsidy must result. An lid rate would mean a loss of C2S jier annum. Councillor Mills also stated his opinion that the Hospital Hoard could overdraw for the purposes of building. The new svslem would entail considerable exfla clerical work, Councillor Boon said he had favoured the motion, but this information from (he Town Cleric had altered Ills views.

Councillor Bellringer, as chairman of tin- Hospital Hoard, said that owing to the curtailment of the hospital district an increasing hospital rate was hievil aide. The same institutions had to be maintained as when Stratford and llawcra, districts were liable for rates. The Xew Plymouth hospital hail to be rebuilt, and the ralepavers had to puv for it. It mattered little how the'rate was levied.

The .Mayor said the Town Clerk'* moiit settled tile motion.. Tln> Council divided o;i the motion. Ayes: The .Mayor ami Councillors Coleman, Collis, Cuttlev and Mrowne. Noes; Councillors ISoon, IMlringcr, West, .Mills, and Morey. The Mayor gave his casting vote with the noes, iiuiintrtinintt the present system.