OBJECTION TO LOANS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22464, 27 July 1938, Page 10

OBJECTION TO LOANS

PROTEST MADE TO DRAINAGE BOARD PETITION SENT IN BY RATEPAYERS A petition of protest, sponsored by the Papanui Progress League, against the new loan proposals of the Christchurch Drainage Board, was discussed at some length by members of the board last night. The loans objected to were one of £21,000 for extending sewage in the special area and one of £6OOO for certain improvements to surface and storm-water drains in the rural Riccarton district. The final decision was to invite the objectors to meet the board in committee. Members expressed the hope that the petition might be withdrawn if its signatories were fully acquainted with the work to be done. Mr T. Milliken said that the loan proposal without doubt was designed to do work that urgently required to be done. The proposal had been given a certain amount of publicity, and he had taken pains to see that it was so publicised. In view of this the petition came as a surprise. The petition, said Mr Milliken, was signed by a considerable number of ratepayers in the district he represented. Some of - those ratepayers claimed that although they were in the special rating area, they would get no benefit from the work to be done. It had been suggested that a better way of paying for the loan might be by a rate spread over the catchment area. He himself lived in the rating area, but personally did not object to paying the rate —about 2s 7d on £IOOO of capital value —although he received no benefit. However others did object. “I do not think the petitioners fully understand the position,” said Mr H. G. Livingstone. “They seem to be taking this attitude—‘We’ve got all we want, and we object to another district getting the same benefit’.” He thought that if the position was fully explained to the objectors, the petition would be withdrawn. Mr J. S. Barnett said the position seemed to be that the objectors were protesting at being rated for a scheme to drain a certain area in which they were not interested. “This is only an example of what one might expect in a city rated in the way Christchurch is,” he added. It was finally agreed that five representatives of the signatories should meet the board in committee to discuss the position.