BORROWING WITHOUT POLL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 16 June 1926, Page 12

BORROWING WITHOUT POLL.

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. —___ \ CRITICISM AT NORTHCOTE. While professing every sympathy with the unemployed and the efforts to relieve this problem; the Government proposal to allow local bodies to;borrow £10>000 without consulting ratepayers was condemned by the majority of the members of the Northcote Borough Council last evening. \ The discussion arose on the motion oi the Mayor, Mr. C. A. Deuxberry, "That! the council take advantage oi the proposal of the Government fqr unemploy ■ i ment relief to raise the sum of £10,000 for urgent worke in the borough." Hβ indicated his opinion that this sumshould be expended in forming footpaths in a permanent manner, completing footpaths half done, and properly forming Belle Vue Avenue. There was also the; question of straightening Lake Road. The i loan of £10,000 could be financed without' raising the rates this year. The estimates ' could be cut down to pay the interest and sinking fund. Aβ an alternative to these works, the first mile of road from the wharf to the War Memorial could be laid down in concrete. That part of the loan could be financed out of this year's revenue. Mr. A. W. Smith, who seconded, said Northcote could well do with this expenditure on the main road; £900 was spent last year, and it was already cut up.

Messrs. J B. Tonar, J. F. Jackson, C. A. Clark, and A. J. Lennon objected to borrowing £10,000 without the sanction of ratepayers. The Mayor was given permission to add to his motion the words: "Subject to the approval of a public meeting of ratepayers in the Parish Hall next Tuesday." Mr. A. J. Lennon said he was up against thie proposal..The unemployment was a recurring problem, and the responsibility wae being side-stepped by the Prime Minister on to people like them.; Mr. F. L. Maxwell characterised giving permission to the smaller local bodies to borrow such a sum without reference to ratepayers as "rather rotten legislation." Mr. E. W. B. Herrick said it suited the big councils, but it was not a fair thing for the smaller bodies. Even if they could finance the loan without ' any increase in rates this year, the loan would react in the following years by increased rates. Mr. A. R. Slrates considered the Government should offer the. money on special terms. He could not see. how the concrete road was going to help the unemployed at all, as the council had no plant, and there would be considerable delay in getting a start. The other work outlined, such 'ac Belle Vue Avenue, would cost two or three times as much as if left till the summer months. Mr. To.nar said they did not get value for work like that in winter time. As regards the concrete road, without Mr. A. Greville. Walker's report, they were speaking in the dark. An amendment, moved by Mr. Tonar and seconded by Mr. Shutes was carried, deferring further. consideration till the engineer's report wae available.