"WE MUST GO SLOW."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 198, 19 February 1914, Page 7

"WE MUST GO SLOW."

STRATFORD COUNTY'S FINANCIAL POSITION. "We must go slow" was the burden of the chairman's remarks when discussing the iinancial position of the Stratford County at the meeting of the Council yesterday. The finances were, lie said, in a worse position than ever. I'art of this might be due to the expenses of Hie roller and various buildings throughout the county, which might hive accounted for £2OOO. The debit balances were in 11)11, £13!)1: \<)\>, £1!)!)]; 11)13, £2-10!); 1!)U, .t-1781. They would, he continued, have to go very slow, and he did not know bow they were going to finance. They would not have,much to work on between now and December. Kvery riding had, he concluded, gone back except Mangaehu, which had improved its position by nearly ,ti2OU. Cr. Walter 'considered that the position was mainly due to the obsolete system of keeping road accounts. Settlers always knew when their road was in credit, and came to the Council asking that the money be expended, but when the road was in debt they did not come and offer to make it good. When getting the estimates out for the year, these, credits were never allowed for, and when a settler came and asked for help, he often obtained expenditure through sympathy. This meant thai, much was voted over ::.nd above the estimates. They could never keep out of debt under these circumslances. No credit should be voted unless it appeared in the estimates. Cr. Thomson thought that they would have to be careful, lie thought that thev might possibly do with le-is bands. Cr. Smith considered that the. road accounts were the best safeguard tli.it ratepayers had. If they allowed one road's credit to be transferred to another, they would be in a worse position than cvur. The settler who went in for a loan to metal his road, was certainly entitled to have his rates credited to renew that metal when it required reluctating.