LOAN PROPOSALS DEFEATED

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 153, 25 March 1937, Page 15

LOAN PROPOSALS DEFEATED

Petone Borough’s Schemes

All three of the Petone Borough Council’s loan proposals were turned down by the ratepayers at the poll taken yesterday. Dud they all been sanctioned by the citizens it would have involved the borough in an additional loans commitment of £9250. Au apathetic view of the council's scheme for providing improved facilities for the borough’s open spaces seemed to be manifest by the poor per; centage of votes past. Of a total roll of 3428 only 707, or just over 20 per cent., of the ratepayers exercised their franchise. The largest of the three proposals, that designed to improve the recreation ground, received strongest support. This would have involved a sum of £5OOO, and had it been carried tlie money would have been used for the provision of a new grandstand, an alteration to the present cycle track to allow a Rugby ground to run parallel with the grandstand, and a new entrance at Kirk’s Avenue. The scheme for improving the Petone foreshore also received a fairly good measure of support. Citizens’ ratification of a loan of £3500 was sought to lay the foundation, of a definite plan prepared by the council by building a central bathing pavilion in the Buick Street locality and increasing facilities at McEwan Park and at the west end of the foreshore. e

Least support of all was accorded the suggested loan of £750 to provide better accommodation at the McKenzie swimming baths. While none of the officers at the polling booths were overworked, those at the Labour Hall were called on to handle the greatest number of voting papers. There 277 ratepayers recorded their votes. A further 210 voted at the Y.M.C.A. booth, and 172 at the Oddfellows’ Hall. Only 29 votes were recorded at Koro Koro, but that does not necessarily indicate that only 29 ratepayers in that part of the district interested themselves in the poll as some may have voted in the town. The Wellington booth, established for the convenience of Petone residents employed in the city, at no time presented a busy scene, and the day's activities resulted in the casting of 19 votes. The recount was carried out last night, and the final figures are as follows: —

For Against In fl. Foreshore loan .... 204 389 24 Baths loan 283 402 22 Recreation Ground Ioan 314 373 20