GLEN EDEN WATER LOAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1928, Page 8

GLEN EDEN WATER LOAN.

A poll is advertised to be taken daring tht next few days on the above question. In mf opinion the time is not yet ripe for water reticulation in this district. Our population is too sparse and scattered and decreasing--** is evidenced by the large number of empty houses in the district. These people who are steadily leaving the district—the small quaitrfacre men—are the only ones who would beK# by water reticulation. During the last boars the Clayburn Road loan was turned down owing to lack of confidence in the board, whiA had increased our rates to sevenpence and haa nothing to show for the increase. The position as regards the board is worse to-day, in opinion, the only change being that two mors of their ticket have replaced the two opposition members, upon whom we could depend to watch and safeguard the interests of the rate* payers. This water loan if carried will mean practically a further twopence halfpenny «■ our rates, making a total of ninepenee ban* penny, which will make Glen Eden actually the highest-rated town board in the Auckland district. On top of this the board is proposing two further loans, Clayburn Road loan U» the West Coast Road concrete loan, which, if carried, will almost double our rates. The district cannot stand it. Glen Eden largely consists of poultry farms and orchard proper* ties, and, as the rating is on the unimproved values, the increases proposed by the Tow® Board in these three items alone will practically spell ruin to all smallholders in Ghn Eden, whose rates have in some cases, I believe, nearly trebled already since the inauguratk* of the Town Board. POULTRY FARMER.