THE MUNICIPAL YEAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 71, 20 April 1909, Page 3

THE MUNICIPAL YEAR.

A SATISFAtTOIiY RECOlll). At 1 ii-,t night's meeting of the Borough Council, tin' Xlii.vi)i' congratulated tin' CimiK'il upon thi- satisfactory position of tlll' linniK'C-- nt ill!' iMiil of the year. i As he inti'iiili'il lit the insinuation of ! the Mayor to review the |ia.-f twelve months' work ami outliie a programm.' for tin- ensuing year, he woulil not go fully into the annual returns now. But li. woulil like to U.ucli on one or two I points. When the Council frauieil in estimates last year they reckoned on having an oven'lrafl of' tlO:)!l hi ihe end nt the year, the estiinuteil cspeuditure including the construction of the waterworks' by-pa,, ami the I'owilerhaiu street tilling. The latter work, estimated to citail an expenditure of £7(111, had not heen earrieit out. But the Council finished the year with n credit balance—small, it was true, liut a credit balance, nevertheless. The Council had expended ahout £WH> above the ei-ti-niateil cost of street maintenance, hut. that was only to lie expected, for Hie Council hail spent £11151) in (he lirst three mouth- of it- linum-iiil year, leaving only £1175 for the remaining nine months of the year. Hut a satisfactory feature was that n-vcr in the history of the Council had s () „„„.], ,„,„- wn ,.] ; j |( , (11| attempted and completed out of ordinary revenue. He eminv.-inteil the new v.r.iks a- follows:-aim i„ tin. Vivian street cutting, and earthwork at the Western end; £!M i„ lluller ■street, which had resulted in the erection of-two cottages; £BO in Pondarves street, at Carlington road, where the work had facilitated the erection of a residence; Fulford street cutting, which would would make several .line Imilding sites available: Waimanu street, £23. giving access to the beach; Albert road (at the waterworks) £25; (Jill street (east) extension, .£143; Devon street west swamp tunnel. £222; filling and widening Devon street at the Henui bridge, £35; n total of £1(115. Then again the Council hail on hand gravel worth £lO5, and stons ami boulders worth £145: tar worth £SO; which meant that 'the Council had plenty of material for concreting anil asphalting this year. Other entirely newworks were the construction of tire waterworks by-pass, and the lowering of the water mains on the Mill road. The subdivision of -Major Parris' estate had cost the Council £so—which was entirely unexpected. Tn the light of these facts the position was extreme! v satisfactory. The Council had constructed no "white elephants." Ratepayers had got good value for all money expended. The Council should be congratulated upon having undertaken so many newworks during the year—works that previous Councils and mayors bad "dodged."