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HEALTHY FINANCES.
CARDWELL SHX&E COUNCIL.
TULLY, July 27.
«The monthly meeting of the Card-
well Shire Council was held in the
Shire Chamber- yesterday, there being
a full council present presided over by
the chairman (Cr. Brice Henry).
The finance «hcct shows the follow-
ing balances: General account, dr. bal-
ance at 30/6/39, £282/1/11; deposited
since, £1059/11/10; less cheques drawn,
£769/9/9; cr. balance at 25/T/39,
£8/0/2. Waterworks account: Cr. bal-
ance at 25/6/39, £616/0/9, deposited
since, £32/14/2: less cheques drawn,
£8/18/1; cr. balance"r£639A6/10. Amal-
gamated Joan, account, credit bal-
ance at 25/6/39, £2833/19/3; deposit-
ed since, £180/19/7; cr. balance,
£3014/18/10. Debenture loan account
at 25/6/39, £344/9/5? deposited since",
£8/6/1; less cheques since drawn,
£1P4/13/-; cr. balance, £15»/2/6. Re
imbursements outstanding: General ac-
count, £380 approximately; tratgj-ac-
count, £75.
The Shire Clerk (Mr. D. Thomas) in
his report stated that the nffairs of the
council were in a very healthy state.
The general account, after all pay-
ments for administration expenses and
road expenditure, showed a debit bal-
ance of £282/1/11. Seeing that the
council decided to expend £100 over
and above the budget for flood damage
and other necessary works, this was
c.mddered satisfactory. After meeting
all payments for interest and redemp-
tion of the loan- account there would
be a credit balance of £2833/19/3. The
waterworks account showed a credit
balance of £616/0/9 after meeting
maintenance, interest and redemption.
As the budget items for the year end
ing June, 1940, had not yet been final-
ised, it was safe to say* that a reduc-
tion in the loan rate for tho current
year could be made. "Regarding the
water rate, the council must seriously
consider whether any -réduction can b*>
made this year on such rate. It must
necessarily follow that when the sub-
sidy loan for replacements is c«i*rriid
out the rate -would have to be in-
creased, therefore the water rate could
be left as it is so that when interest
and redemption is due on the subsidy
loan for replacements, sufficient funds
will be on hand to meet it. It appears
that the general rate will be the same
as last year, providing the costs of ad-
ministration are similar.
Great praise waa given to the clerk
for the excellent manner in which he
had collected outstanding rates. The
f cllowing figures will give an idea of
the amounts brought in: Division No.
1: Current rates £43-10/19/5, arrears
£1061/11/7, total £5402/11/10, which
represents 75.35 per cent, of current
rates struck and 36.03 per cent, of ar-
rears. Division No. 2. Current rates
£9050/6/4, arrears £3130/1/9, total
''£12,180/8/1, representing 72.6 per cent,
of current rates struck and 47.3 per
cent, of arrears. Division No. 3r Cur
Tent rates £2752/10/1, arrears £868/
13/4. total £3621/9/5, representing 72.8
per cent, of current rates and 16J9 per
cent, of arrears It is assumed that
these figures create a record for rate
collections. Permission was given to
the clerk to sell properties that are
three years and over in arrears with
their rate» in accordance with the
Local Government Act of 1936.
CLUMP POINT DIP.
Begarding the application for a sub-
sidy to erect a stock dip at -Clump
Point, a reply was received from Mr.
P. Pease that it would be impossible
to subsidise a dip at this place at pres-
ent as there was an inquiry regarding
the throwing open of these particular
lands, and that it would be advisable
to wait until then to apply for the dip
The place recommended at present was
either the racecourse or the show
ground
The- overseer (Mr. A. W. Jones) was
given permission to proceed against a
farmer for a breach of the council by-
laws. The person named had been
warned by the council foreman notto
drive his tractor over a concrete cul-
vert unless ho placed a couple of
boards ovi»r it on which to drive his
tractor. This warning, it was alleged,,
had been disregarded.
CABDWELL AEBODBOME.
Mr. Mowbray. Inspector of Aero-
dromes for the Civil Aviation Depart-
ment, upon his arrival from a tour of
inspection at Cardwell, said that he
had inspected the proposed site there
and had found the ground undulating.,
and that before picking a definite site
the ground would have to be cleared to
such an extent to permit a survey. The
best portion could then be picked.
Buns of 1000 to 1200 yards were- beirg
ssked for for commercial use, while the
Air """"orce required 1500.yarda. He
thought that it was worth while mak-
ing a proper survey and was willing to
cambine with the "Shire overseer-rela-
tive to the easiest way of making this
survey. In company with Cr. P. White
and the overseer, he then -proceeded to
Mission Beach to inspect a site there.
On his return he said he was very im-
pressed with the site. There appeared
to be- ample room for the neeessary
runways, but he would like a line put
through from four points so as to get
the true nature*of this ground. This
site was>at"all times visible from fne
sir and. easily picked out. This also
applied > to Cardwell, whereas the local
drome at'Tully was ofttimes invisible
on account of, low-lying clouds. An-
other "disadvantage ' of the Tully drome
was that it was .too small. It could
be extended southwards but only in a
limited, manner, and even this move
would not overcome the bad^visibility.
The Mission Beach site was right on
the beach, and only 21 miles* from an
already established aérodrome at Dunk
Island. v
There were 23 applications received
for the position of herdsman. Cr. B.
Regler moved that whoever was ap
pcinted shall have no interest' in any
stock in this Shire. There was no sec-
onder. Considerable debate was held
regarding the position' of No. .2 Divi-
sion, which was considerably penalised
by the previous arrangements. In Nos.
1 and 3 bv paying 'agistment fees stock
would be âllpwed to roam the roads
Tretween dawn and dark. In- Vo. 2,
during-the five months of crushing,
stock had tn he kept locked up. Cr.
White considered this very unfair: -It
was finally agreed that the stock in
No. 2 be only «kept off the roads .for
three months of the season. The posi-
tion of herdsman, was then considered
and Mr. Fox, of Tully, was appointed
at £4 a week.
TENDEES.
There were many tenders received
for the supply of a utility truck 'for
the use of the Health Inspector, th3
successful tenderer being Eager and
Sons, of Townsville, who quoted, a
British Bedford 10 h.p. utility at £232/
19/2.
Tenders for Cargnello's bridge were
opened, only three being- received, and
the successful tenderer was W. C Cur-
tis, of Upper Murray, at £405/10/-.
Four tenders were received for the
clearing, grubbing, trimming and
metalling of 2921 feet of road on the
Tullv-El Arish main road, and the first
choice went to Stewart and Byrne
£1001/2/2, second choice Seres and Co.
£1048/5/-. All the tenders received
were under the estimate, «which was
£1297/15/3.
At the conclusion of the 'general
meeting a special meeting was held for
the passing of suitable by-laws for the
controlling of boarding and tenement
houses. After the' reading of them Cr.
R. Hort said that this matter was a
very important one and these by-laws
would have to be thoroughly perused
before adopting them. HP asked that
a copy of the existing by-laws be pro-
cured from a neighbouring Shire ard,
together with a copy of the ones sug-
gested locally, be sent to each member
of the council for perusal, and that
I they come before the council, at the
next meeting. This was acted upon.
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