NRS-15824 | Rate cash books [Municipality of Balmain]

Full description

Rates Cash Books (or Rates Revenue Counter Cash Books) were initially required to be created under s.49 and Schedule XXIX of the 1908 Municipal Accounting regulations (1) and subsequent accounting regulations. S. 49 (a) required the council clerk to post the rates, arrears and interest on a daily basis into the (General) Rates Books (NRS 15823). The rating information was to be obtained from the carbon duplicates of receipts issued by the council. The Clerk was also required to enter the rating information concurrently in the Rates Revenue (Counter Cash) books. S. 49 (d) required the clerk to regularly check the postings in the rates books with entries in the Rates Revenue (Counter Cash) Books.

The Rates Revenue (Counter Cash) Books were maintained in a double page format recording the following information: Date of Payment, Valuation Assessment Number, Ward, Name (of Ratepayer), receipt number, remarks and grand total. The amounts of rates paid, and total amount paid for each ward were recorded in the following columns: General Rates Current, General Rates Arrears, Interest Current, and Interest Arrears.

S. 54 (c) of the accounting regulations specified the process of posting information contained in the Rate Revenue (Counter Cash) Books on a monthly basis into the General Cash Books (NRS 15818), and from the Cash Books into the relevant accounts in the General Ledgers. (2). Ledgers form part of a standard public sector accounting system. This system generally comprised Cash Books, Journals (General and Subsidiary), and Ledgers (General and Subsidiary).

Income recorded by the Rates Revenue (Counter Cash) Book was accredited through the General Ledger into the General Fund. The Council also maintained other funds such as loans and trust funds. Under Schedule 1 of the 1908 Municipal Accounting Regulations, (4) accounts were classified into General Purpose (G.P) Public Works (P.W), Public Service (P.S), Health Administration (H.A) and Shire Property.

Custody History

This series was in the custody of Mitchell library until December 2001 when it was transferred to State Records NSW under section 29 of the State Records Act, 1998.


End Notes

1. NSW Government Gazette 19 November, 1908 p.6223 – 6225
2. Ibid p. 6228
3. Ibid p. 6131 - 6135