Ready To Go To Finance Committee view of the heavy deficit incurred during 1939, caused chiefly by the fall in value of the local dollar, and the imperative need for economy, Heads of Municipal Departments were instructed to exercise the strictest economy in the preparation of their Estimates for 1940 and to take drastic steps to effect every possible reduction in departmental requirements.
The Council's instructions were carefully observed by all Heads of Departments, in collaboration with the Treasurer, and accordingly the estimates as forwarded for the scrutiny of Committees showed considerable reductions upon the preliminary figures, The estimates of the Volunteer Corps, Fire Brigade and Police Force (neluding Jail) were considered by the Watch Committee in meeting on February 2 when, in accordance with the usual procedure, items of Extraordinary Expenditure were classified in the two categories of (1) those to which the Council is already committed, or which are considered urgent, and (3) those for which, having regard to financial and other considerations, no appropriation should be made this year. ances was partly due to the inclusion of a sum of $58.140 representing the Special Bonus granted for extra duties arising out of emergency conditions, which was formerly charged to the capital budget under the heading of Emergency Measures. The remaining comparative increase of $72,920 was attributable chiefly to the increases in the temporary bonus and marriage allowances authorized during 1939. Provisions had also been included for normal promotions and scale increments in pay.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.