LOAN PROPOSALS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 296, 13 September 1927, Page 11

LOAN PROPOSALS

WORKS MUCH NEEDED “NOTHING LEFT OUT’ APPROVAL BY CIVIC LEAGUE The executive of the Civic League last night expressed its approval of the proposal to raise a loan of £290,875, which is to come before the ratepayers at the poll on Thursday. Mr. J. H. Whitaker (the chairman) said the works were necessary, but it was a pity that it was a question of all or none. The ratepayers should have been allowed to reject a portion of the wtirks if they so desired. The secretary reported that the Mayor had stated that they could not go to the London market for less than £lOO,OOO, and none of the items singly amounted to that sum. The four proposals were: Paving streets £lBl,OOO Surface sealing of other streets 53,000 Formation and paving of footpaths 30,000 Public conveniences' 26,875 Of streets to be paved there were 40, while those to be surface sealed numbered 73. Footpaths were to be dealt with in 153 streets, mostly in outlying districts, and the conveniences were in various parts of the city and suburbs. It' was proposed to raise £120,000 to commence with, for a period of 16 years, with a sinking fund of £4 12s. 6d., although it was reckoned that the life of the paving would be 30 years. The cost of the loan would be slightly under £1 per head of the population, which would be the burden if there was no relief in other directions. Necessary Works. All the works had been urged on the council as necessary for many years by the league, affiliated bodies, and private citizens. ft was stated that for the five years 1922-26 the total spent in street works was £360,305, an average of £73,061 per annum, while scavenging and street watering cost £94,780, an average of £18,956. The total on street works, scavenging, and street watering was £455,085. It could not be expected that the general rate, would be so far relievd as •to offset the special rate which must be struck against this loan. It was urged, however, that it was much more economic than to keep on doing patch-work The rates in recent years were reviewed, and the opinion was expressed that an increase in the water rate was unnecessary, as the council had made a good surplus from the water rate. It was also considered not desirable that too many authorities for loans should remain unexercised for too long a period. The Mayor had stated the case very frankly. ThanV to the Loans Board plans and estimates for each of the works had been submitted and scrutinised. All-round Benefit Attention was called to the small Mess of the poll on previous occasions, but it was hoped that as many ,as possible would exercise their privilege. The proposals would bring about an improvement in the amenities of the city, would improve the health of the people, and would effect a saving in the charges for maintenance on loose crarying out small crops of works, which had to be effected with overhead charges and Unsatisfactory economy. Mr. A. C. Blake said that he could sot think of anything which had been left out. Many of the works proposed had been asked for for years, and to veto them would hinder the progress of the city. He moved that the league ' endorse the proposals. This was seconded by Mr. Lambert, who said that it was thought that the proposals would ultimately result in a decrease in the general rate, although not immediately. The chairman said there was a distinct saving in scavenging work, and in fact the City Council was selling some of the horses and plant which had been used for this work, and less refuse was also being taken from the sumps. The motion was carried unanimously, and the report of the secretary was adopted.