✨ County Treasurer's Financial Report
108
tion of a debt due by the County to the
General Government, and which, I
believe, consisted of a balance of the Consolidated Fund overpaid to the County. The
total amount was paid up on the 3rd August
last.
In noticing the decrease in the Gold
Fields Revenue, I made it my business to
find out how many Miner’s Rights had been
issued during the half-year ended 30th June,
1872. From the statements rendered by the
various Receivers of Revenue, I find they
amounted to 1571, and that for the previous
half-year ended 31st December, 1871, they
amounted to 1681, making together for the
twelve months 3252 Miner’s Rights issued.
The gold produced during the same period
amounted to 123,544 ounces, giving an
average to each miner of nearly 40 ounces
per man. It is fair to assume that each
miner earns an ounce a week (which the
above average will hardly give), how then
can the deficiency be accounted for; from the
above figures it would not seem as though
this tax was being evaded to any great
extent.
With regard to the expenditure during
the half-year, I beg to report that the provisions of "The County of Westland Act,
1869," have been complied with; at the
same time I observe that no mention has
been made in the account of any Public
Works that have been constructed during the
half-year for which payments have been made
in land, and which, I respectfully submit,
should form portion of this account. It might
be made up as a separate or supplementary
statement to the cash expenditure. It may
be true that the contractors have not been
paid in cash, but there can be no doubt that
payment in land is an equivalent. During
the past half-year, 315 acres of land have
been granted to contractors for public works
completed, and as many other Public Works
are being undertaken on similar terms, I
consider that the County Treasurer should
include such transactions in his accounts.
The appointment of an Officer as Store-
keeper, has remedied to a great extent, the
inconvenience referred to by me in my last
report, and although this Officer has been
indefatigable in carrying out his duties, so
numerous were the arrears and so large the
amount of property, that up to the present
time he has not succeeded in obtaining a complete account of all the stores belonging to
the County Government. I would respectfully suggest that the Storekeeper be called
upon to furnish a report as to the state of his
department.
In the Statement of Assets and Liabilities,
I observe that no mention is made of the
amount for which contracts have been
accepted up to the 30th June, 1872. I have
referred to this matter as it is simply a
question whether (although no progress payments are required during the current six
months) they are not still Liabilities of the
County Government, and should as such be
entered in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
EDWARD PATTEN,
County Auditor.
REVENUE ACCOUNT.
Dr.
| 1872. | £ | s. | d. |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1. To Balance on 31st Dec., | |||
| 1871 ... | 8788 | 4 | 2 |
| " Expenditure as per | |||
| statement ... | 27,434 | 8 | 6 |
| £36,222 | 12 | 8 |
Cr.
| 1872. | £ | s. | d. |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1. By Receipts, as per | |||
| statement ... | 24,948 | 15 | 10 |
| " Balance ... | 11,273 | 16 | 10 |
| £36,222 | 12 | 8 |
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Westland Provincial Gazette 1872, No 21
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County Treasurer's Financial Report
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🏘️ Provincial & Local Government8 August 1872
Financial Report, Revenue, Expenditure, Balance Sheet, Gold Export Duty, Mining Surveys, Tolls, Land Revenue
- Edward Patten, County Auditor
- Edward Patten, County Auditor