THE RICHMOND WARD.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9813, 24 August 1897, Page 5

THE RICHMOND WARD.

THE PROPOSED LOAN.

A second public meeting in connection with the proposed loan for the Richmond Ward was held in the Foresters' Hall, "Vogel Street, last night. The Mayor presided, and the Councillors present were Crs. Smith, Samuels, Sorensen, Andrews, Stapleton and Gray. The Town Clerk and City Surveyor were present. The meeting was attended by about seventy persons. The Mayor explained the object of the meeting, and said the first question to be discussed was the striking of a 3d rate to raise £1600 for thirty years to partly kerb and channel and regrade the streets of the ward. There was also the question of finding £3000 to kerb, channel and regrade the whole of the ward. No matter what resolution the meeting came to it would be his duty as Mayor to take a poll of the ratepayers, and if three-fifths were in favour of it the loan would be raised.

The Town Clerk read the announcement of the meetings. Cr. Sorensen said after the first meeting the Council decided to take steps to take a poll for the £1640, provided the ratepayers would themselves), find the remainder. H the proposal were agreed to all the streets would in time be keroed, channelled and regraded where necessary. The taxation would be heavy. " It would mean an extra M, .making 1 .-tin. total 2a. 3.5d_. of paying cash down, la in the £ for five years would meet the half the ratepayers were to find. That would mean additional taxation of ls 3d on. the 2s Ofd now paid, but the ls would only last five years. He strongly hoped the ratepayers would agree to the rate.

Cr. Smith pointed out the difficulty of enforcing payment from those who made promises which they might not feel inclined to fulfil. The three-fifths majority must represent the majority of the votes in the ward. This would be under a petition, if one were presented, to the Council for a loan for special purposes. Under a poll for the £1640 only, the three-fifths majority was of those who voted.

Cr. Stapleton hoped the ratepayers of the ward would back no the representatives of the ward and the Council in endeavouring to raise the loans.

Mr Mundy sugge-ted that it would have been better to delay the scheme a f&w years, until they had a larger population. Mr Darlow observed that if they delayed the scheme they would be sending their population to the cemetery. Mr Tonsycliffe pointed out that unless the money were raised io the way proposed it would never be raised. If they intended the district to be thoroughly drained and made popular they would have to carry the proposal. Mr Flksher said that unless they were prepared to help themselves no one was likely to help them. He was of the opinion that the Council should find half and the ratepayers tho other half. But this seemed impossible, and it appeared to him that the best method was the 3d in the £ for the £1640 and the ls in the £ for five years for the remainder.

In answer to questions, the Mayor said the proposal was to do the work gradually. Mr FwiSHBR pointed out that it was no good the ward going in for the work unless the whole of the ward was to be done, and £1640 would not do that.

Cr. Gray said he took tho view that the Act permitted the whole amount to be lifted at once, and the Is half collected m five years. After some further discussion,

The May/ok said a poll would be taken on the 7th September for the loan of £1640.

A meeting was then held to obtain guarantees for providing the other £1640 to complete the work.

The petition for signature was read. Mr WmnowsoN moved—" That this meeting of ratepayers approves of the scheme proposed for the payment of the balance of the cost of the completion of the kerbing, channelling and regracßng the streets of Richmond, and trusts that all the ratepayers in the ward will sign the petition submitted."

Mr Paull seconded the motion, whioh was carried without dissent.

Votes of thanks were accorded to the Mayor and Councillors present, and the meeting adjourned.