ROAD IMPROVEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 205, 28 August 1918, Page 2

ROAD IMPROVEMENT.

I (To the Editor.) Sir, —When Kden Terrace amalgamated with the city, one of the terms submitted by the city was that within six months after the close of the war a loan proposal for £]0,000 tor the New | North Road would be put before the' ratepayers, and the City Council would j advise the ratepayers to support it. It ■ was considered at the time inadvisable to attempt to raise a loan during war time. The ratepayers of Eden Ternicc reeojrnked the force of the argument, and resigned themselves to the inevit- I able. Now, however, his Worship thinks the thnc opportune to borrow, and has submitted a very attractive proposal to those who will benefit from it: but not a word is there in the proposal about the Now North Road. This road is the main arterial road to every district , north of Auckland, and carries more traffic than any other road of its size in the province: and I maintain that if the present time be a favourable one to boirow £160,000 for other districts, it is just as favourable a time to increase the amount to £200,000. and spend the difference on the New North Road.—l am, etc.. PERCY McELWAIK. 7. New NoTth Road. (To Uie Editor.) Sir, —I think very many of the ratepayers will have been greatly surprised to see that the Mayor if proposing a new loan for city works. Financiers and statesmen all over the world nave j been urging the Empire to practise j strict economy, in view of the terrible i drain upon out men and money caused j by the war. We are beimr told on every hand that the absolutely urgent thing at present is to " win the war." In spite of all this, the City Conncil has undertaken many works which might very well have been left over until after the war. We have no warrant for assuming that the Allies have definitely won the war. Many things may happen to j upset our optimistic calculations. The

question also arises whether it is fair to impose further financial burdens upon the ratepayers, the rates being already 4/ in the pound, including water: in addition to which there arc charges for sanitation, insurance, repairs and renewals, etc. Besides all this, there are the national financial burdens which must continue to press heavily upon us for years after the war is over. With the very valuable endowments possessed by the Council and the large revenue from rates, it appears to mc the City Council would be acting in the best interests of the ratepayers, the public, and the Empire by keeping strictly within its present income. It is certainly a glaring anomaly for the Council to restrict, as it has done, an absolutely necessary service like the sanitary one, and at the same time to be proposing a loan for works that can very well be postponed, in view of the desperate circumstances in which we are now living. Something might also be said about the proposed allocution of the suggested loan. For instance, there are two other main outlets not mentioned in tlie allocation, viz., the New North Road and the Great South Roatl. These need attention quite as much as those mentioned. But my main point is. wait till the war v > is over.—l am, etc., CITIZEN. ' " Advance " also objects to the pro- ! posed loan, and thinks the money would be better spent in roading land for re- : turned soldiers, though he realises that the Council has not power to do this. He also asks for more information about the cost of the Beach Road improve- ' ments. •■= 1