The Wairoa Bell, AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, AUGUST sth.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 157, 5 August 1892, Page 4

The Wairoa Bell, AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, AUGUST sth.

On Wednesday next the County Councillors meet for ordinary business, and as the Valuation Hull is now on .hand they will probably- decide upon the amount of be struck. Our contemporary lias rate ... :, ' ; no of a penny rate only by urged the strm._. ■ - u{ j family eon—the Council, but private ... ■ .•... 0 . j q siderations may have had sometun_. a with our friend's opinion, for his arguments, if such they may be called, in favour oi the penny rate have been decidedly few and weak. .Largo property holders who live more upon the labour of others than upon their own exertions almost mvftria-'-Jy svvn to make their payments as light as posSiDls ; but it is the opinion of the many working

settlers and property owners in the County which would lead to the best results. It is not our desire to foist a three-lialf-penny rate upon the County if a penny rate, will be sufficient, but in order that the public may be in a better position to judge of tlit* matter themselves we have gone to some trouble in looking in to the finances of the County, and now offer our data to the public for consideration so that they may bo in a position to judge of the Council’s action when they fix the rate. It has been urged by some that a penny rate on the new valuation would bring m as much as the higher rate did last year, but now that the Valuation roll is completed we find that it would fall nearly £220 short. But the main question to be considered is first—What are the necessary and legitimate requirements of the County for the present year ? and then—what rate will be necessary to meet this expenditure and maintain the County in a sound financial position. First then let. us estimate 7the expenditure for current year, and in pussing we may say that our figures have been catefully gone into and will be found approximately correct. The present financial year began on the first April and at that time there was an overdraft of £402 against the present year’s income Taking into conside: ation the Balance sheets of three previous years and the expenditure already hiouned in the four months that have passed of tiie current year we estimate this year’s expenditure at £IOSO, without allowing for the letting or any new contracts. The estimate is made up as follows : Charitalle Aid £IOB, Interest on loan £OOS, Overdraft £402, Salaries £255, Office expenses £45, Printing and Advertising £25, Law costs £l5O, Log collars £l6, Licensing £B, Interest on Overdraft £25, Compensation £SO, Nutive Rate Expenditure £3B, Lighting Dargaville township £39, Surface man £IOO, Amouuts now due for works £2O, Earmarked £24, As a proof that our estimate is not overdrawn we would say that during the past four months the expenditure has been £721, and if it be continued at the same rate will reach £2163 for the year. Some m > v consider our estimate of £l5O for law exj eases very heavy but we venture to predict that it will bo found under the mark ; the average for the last three vears is £235. £1650 is then the amount required to meet the expenses of the County without undertaking any fresh road works or repairs beyond what can be accomplished by the surfaceman without assistance. But the Council has already pledged itself to Messrs MeCraith, Powell and others, to complete a certain piece of road in Okahu by November next, and has agreed that the road at Awakino is in a dangerous state, als© the culvert at Raw’s drain ; and the repair of the Hokianga road in the Dargaville township is agreed to be an urgent necessity to say nothing of other works we could mention. The Councillors, too, probably have their minds fixed upon much needed works in their respective ridings so that our £1650 will be found far too small to meet requirements, Now a penny rate levied on the new assessment will bring in £1095 19s Id, and to this may be added £547 to be derived from subsidy, license fees, perpetual lease thirds and refunds, making a total of £1643. If the Council is willing to carry on without attending to roads and drains this may be sufficient, but in this case it would be as well to advertise £l No funds, please don’t ask for anything,’ and then settlers will not waste their time in writing and waiting upon the Council. On the other hand a three-halfpenny rate will raise the total income to £2.191, and give £540 for new works. The future of our County depends upon its settlers and the great need of these is better communication, and after looking at the matter calmly, without anything to prejudice us, we have come to the conclusion that the higher rate should be struck, The striking of a penny rate ill the Dargaville and Wairoa ridings and a threelialf penny rate in the other ridings has been suggested as a compromise but we '‘■qsc such will not be consented to as wo "can sea very little justice in such a proposal Ti, c . interests of the three ridings on this •side, onix Jirpr A least are ho closely connected, and tljp.pripcipgl formed roads so uiuc-n common property that it would be manifestly unfair tp levy a lpwer rate in one than in the Other.

The Pedlars and Hawkers Bill now before Parliament makes provision for general licenses to enable persons to lrawk their goods in any part of the Colony, The licenses to be issued by the local authority whore applied for and the fees to be appropriated by the same. This is hardly fair to country bodies for by this arrangement towns will, as a rule, receive all the fees and the country little or none. Our County -By-Laws fix the pedlar’s license fee, for plying within the Comity, at £1 per annum whereas it is proposed in this Act to iix it at 10s per annum.