PUBLIC OPINION.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6485, 11 September 1915, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

Borough Loan Proposals.

(To the Editor)

Sir,—-The apathy displayed by the public towards the present Borough loans contrasts markedly with the keer interest displayed in all previous proposals. Whether it is prudent and necessary to incur this responsibility is very questionable. Conceived in committee, and approved by the Council with little or no debate, the ratepayers have had little opportunity to judge if these loans are needed or not. Discussing the loan for "providing and constructing private drains"—■ Could not all the assistance required by necessitous property owners b? provided in a less cumberous and more economic manner? First as to the number requiring assistance. In reply to direct application by circular to all within the drainage area, twentyeight applications were received, at least half of these form extensive property owners quite able to finance for themselves. The city of Auckland has made twelve advances under this category, and Tauranga is scarcely likely to exceed the number. The Public Health Act,land the Borough Sanitary and Building by-laws, provide that all buildings must be equipped with suitable sanitary appliances, plans for which must be approved before permission to erect them is granted. So efficient sanitation is assured, and a demand like the present not likely to occur again. An unexpended balance of the drainage loan of 1913 of some £300 was set aside by the late Council for this purpose. The legality of this was challenged by the Mayor in his address on June 29. The Municipal Corporations Act, section 105, clearly gives the authority, but it is stated that an amendment to the Local Bodies Loans Act contravenes this section and renders it nugatory. Now the Municipal Corporations Act in several places defers financial matters to the Audit Office for approval. Surely in this case the opinion of the Auditor-General should be obtained, and, if he gives his approval to the disposal of this suprlus .£3OO for these advances, there is no need for this loan at In any case the loan proposal should not have been laid before the ratepayers until this question had been authoritatively settled,

The loan for "altering and extending the leticulation of the waterworks" is all very well in its way, out is there any real necessity for it? If it was intended to liquidate the amount that the Water Supply account owes to the General Account, it would, I feel sure, have the ratepayers' approval, for they would get a direct benefit by the reduction of the water rate, nut this is not so. This loan is asked for for new work. The question we must all Answer is—ls this expenditure on the water-works needed at the present time? Our supply is abundant; the pressure and quality of the water are all that can be desired; of the whole town there are only fcrty rateable properties that are beyond the regulation distance'from the|mains requiring to bring them within the water rating area; and there are no cases which cannot be met by the halfrate system which has worked so well hitherto.

Would it not be wiser to defer borrowing at all till the railway bridge is finished and we can get an abundance ot ch«ap road metal delivered in the town? If we are going to borrow let us get something we reaily want. The ratepayers must decide this question next Wednesday. Let us all, whether for or against the proposal, roll up and record our votes, A bare majority carries the loan. It is not a question to be treated with indifference. Again I say—let us all vote.—l am, etc,

J. C. ADAMS Tauranga, SeptTlo, 1915.