EASTBOURNE BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 480, 13 April 1909, Page 8

EASTBOURNE BOROUGH AFFAIRS

EXPLANATION BY MR. F. G. BOLTON. Yesterday evening Mr. F. G. addressed a largo meeting of burgesses of tastbourno at Ikma House. After thanking tho ratepayers for having elected him fer three years, the speaker gavp a history of tho borough's affairs sinco its inception. Iho first council elected laboured under great dilucultios, since it had to initiate a system, which, ho was pleased to say, had been worked on over since. With reference to the incidence of taxation, tho. general rate was lkl. in tho £ on the unimproved value, the charitable aid rate was 9-G4d. in tho £ on capital value, and these werp all tho rates that had been levied last year. He saw- no reason why theso should be increased in tho future, but, of course, tho special rato of ,(1. in tho £ on the unimproved value must be levied to provide interest and sinking fund on tho loan of £4500 for which tho ratepayers <ravo authority. Remarks had been made by a candidate for the borough Mayoralty as to tho expenditure of rates and loan money. Tho £4500 voted for by the ratepayers had been expended by them as indicated at tho poll, Mid tho estimates of tho council had worked out to within a few pounds of tho actual cost of the works. There was about £230 in hand on account of tho item culverts," and all tho rest of tho monoy had been spent in accordance with tho loan proposals. With respect to the statement that tho overdraft of £400 would absorb a largo mrt of the rates for tho ensuing year, it had evidently been forgotten that there wero liquid assets outstanding amounting to idoS, which would practically wipe out the overdraft, and ho was satisfied that if tho. affairs of tho borough wero administered during tho ensuing year on tho same lines a credit balance would bo shown at tho cud of tho next twelve months. . In regard to water the council either had to sink for water or boy out the sources ot tho present supply at a prohibitivo price. They did tho former, and the Kev. Mr. Mason a reliable water-finding expert, had sinco stated that they had adequate sources j>oll their own land. They wero now arranging for drilling a pipe for water, and if their elforts wero successful they would havo a supply of water sufficient for all purposes at tho mere cost of sinking, without having to pay compensation. Tho work dono by tho council during its tenure of oihco included tho securing of a borough offices sito at a bedrock price, tho securing of tho. only available recreation ground, tho initiation and successful carrying out of a sand-drnt scheme, tho securing of a largo domain at a nominal cost, and tho placing of roads in thorough order. Mr. Uoltoi* stated that tho ferry servico would in all probability bo improved in tho near future, but negotiations wero too delicate to state them at a public meeting. (Applause.) Mr. Bolton complimented tho members of the counci on tho way in which they had worked, and also tho town clerk and foreman. At the conclusion of tho address tho following motion was carried by acclamation: "That this meeting of burgesses of the borough of Eastbourne tenders to Mr. F. G. Dolton a very hearty voto of thanks for his interesting and instructive address, and desires to place on record its high appreciation of tho many valuable services rendered to tho borough during his occupancy of the Mayoral chair, and also expresses the hopo that the policy inaugurated by him will be continued by tho now council to bo elected on April 28'."