✨ Auditor's Report
26
AUDITOR’S REPORT.
County Audit Office, Westland,
29th January, 1870.
Sir,
I have the honor to forward herewith the County Treasurer’s account of Receipts and Expenditure, and Balance Sheet for the half-year ended 31st December, 1869, which I have examined and certified to in the usual manner. Some delay has been caused, and difficulties experienced in making up the above, owing to the fact that during the months of July and August, a broken period of the year, in which there was no Treasurer, the accounts of the County got into confusion, and, after the appointment of Mr. Thomas Horton as County Treasurer, took a good deal of time and trouble to put into proper order. I have now, however, great pleasure in reporting that since the above gentleman’s appointment the Books and Accounts have been kept in a very satisfactory manner.
The unfortunate financial position in which the County was placed at the end of the last half-year, viz., being burdened with very heavy outstanding liabilities, and also a large overdraft at the Bank of New Zealand, has, to a certain extent, crippled its resources for some time to come, though, with proper care and attention to the expenditure there is no reason why the County should not be, at the end of the present half-year, in a thoroughly sound financial position.
The County Government commences this year saddled with a debt amounting to £13,329, composed of the following items, viz:—
| Accounts unpaid, 31st December, 1869 | £3000 |
| Deficiency Bills | 5000 |
| Bank overdraft | 5329 |
| £13,329 |
Against which the County Treasurer shows on paper Assets amounting to the sum of £14,384, but it must be borne in mind that of this amount only some £2000 can be considered as likely to be available during the ensuing half-year, therefore it is essential that the strictest economy should be studied during the same period.
In my last Report I drew your attention to the fact that the Revenue of the County was gradually decreasing, and on comparing the actual Receipts during the last six months of the year with those of the first half, I find that there is a decrease of nearly £5000, as follows:—
| Actual Receipts, 30th June, 1869 | £40,306 |
| Actual Receipts, 31st December, 1869 | 35,540 |
| Deficiency | £4,766 |
It may fairly be assumed that the Revenue is not likely to increase much during the present half-year, but supposing that it remains at the same ratio (of which there is every probability) you cannot help observing how little money will be available for carrying on any Public Works, &c., after defraying the permanent charges, viz., the expenses of the
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Westland Provincial Gazette 1870, No 6
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
💰 Auditor's Report on County Financial Position
💰 Finance & Revenue29 January 1870
Financial Report, County Audit, Westland, Revenue Decrease, Debt
- Thomas Horton (Mr), Appointed County Treasurer
- County Auditor