A PROTEST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3158, 8 April 1909, Page 5

A PROTEST.

(To the Editor). Sir, —I notice in your paper of even date, a report purporting to be made by His Worship the Mayor, viz., the following statement was made by the Mayor' (Mr P. L. Hollings) at the meeting of v the Works Committee of the Masterton Borough Council, last evening, then follows the report for the year. I beg to enter my emphatic protest against .-he report, as no such report was presented to the Committee "by His Worship the Mayor, or the Town Clerk, on his behalf, The first I knew of the report was when I read it in your paper. As to its contents they are just as remarkable as the manner in which the report has reached the public, such report showing a reduction on overdraft of 432,038 14s 7d. The report says this satisfactory result has not been accomplished by withholding payment of accounts as the end of the year approached, and I have the assurance of the Town Clerk that all outstanding accounts were settled down to the date of the I last meetine, viz., March 19th. At • our meeting last night we passed accounts accrued from the 19th down to March 31st, amounting to £763 17s 3d. So, I presume, this amount I would be a correct deduction from | the so-called net saving on overdraft of £2,038 14s 7d, leaving a net reduction on March 31st of £1,274 17s 4d. This is a remarkable result when we take into consideration the fact that the Council received on account of general and water accounts for the year under review the sum of £12,304 12s 6d, according to the Town Clerk's own figures, being . £3,034 14s 9d in excess of the revenue for the preceding year, and out of this excess revenue His Worship the Mayor boasts of a saving of £1,274. This, I submit, is a very poor result when I consider the extraordinary revenue, coupled with the fact that i the Council during the year just I closed spent some six thousand of loan money. The report further says: —Notwithstanding the reduction of overdraft amongst others, the following capital works have been affected out of revenue: Loan poll expenses £52, expert's report on drainage £75, Cornwall street sewer £4O. This was paid out of capital previously remarked for Sussex street. Alteration and improvements at sewage disposal works £270. This, I submit, is not a correct charge tor capital account, and should be at all times paid out of revenue. Lincoln road sewer 89, the material for this work was supplied to the Council free of charge, and the labour of fixing same is properly charged to revenue. Purchase of land Herbert and Makora streets £l2O. I fail to see why this has been charged to revenue, as the Council has a balance at present of £4OO earmarked on loan schedule for street widening if it has not been diverted to other work. New intake at waterworks and valves for fire purposes £567. When I consider that the Council collected from the ratepayers last year the sum of £3,371 19s 5d as water rate, with a total charge for interest and sinking fund if about £3OO, leaving theC.vjncij

£2,471 19s for the purposes of upkeep, I fail to see that we should boast of spending out of revenue £567. This water rate is worthy of the serious attention of ratepayers, and now is the time to inquire into the matter, as I consider it a gross injustice to ratepayers that they should allow the Council to strike a rate sufficient to produce over £3,300 per annum to meet charges of £9OO, and ordinary upkeep, and provide extensions out of revenue for the benefit of future generations. In conclusion both Cr Ewington and myself were present at the Works Committee meeting last but neither of us was for same 'by the Town Clerk, and some people still persist in saying that the Town Clerk does not run the whole show.—l am, etc., JOHN HUNTER. (It was owing to a reporter's error that Crs Hunter and Ewington were not mentioned as being present at the meeting on Tuesday night of the Works Committee. With regard to the Financial Statement, to which Cr Hunter refers, it was forwarded to this office by the Town Clerk, with the explanation that it was a statement by the Mayor on the financial work of the year. —Ed. W.A.).