KARORI'S FORWARD MOVEMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 50, 1 March 1905, Page 5

KARORI'S FORWARD MOVEMENT.

THE PROPOSED ELECTRIC TRAMWAY. The Finnnct Committee of thp Karori Uorough Council last, night brought down tho fc-Howing repoit, which will l)o neon lo be.tr out tho forecast given in the Pout two weckß ago concerning tho Council's intentions and convictions regarding electric tramway matters and electric lighting for tho borough- — Tho ConiiniUce, as requeued by the G'o.uncil, hiivo cuiefully considered the c»tmmtcs in Mr. Allo'm repot l, and submit the following figures as tho amount of tho loan : — (1.) Estimated cost of widening £) r'o.uls to a minimum, width of 30ft and compensation ... 6,000, (2.) Estiinatud cost of LombardUuerin .system of auto motorcar service • ... 16,250/ (3.) Purchase of poles, wire, etc., from Electrical Light and Power Company, gaa engine, generator, switch-board, etc. 5,000 (4.) First yeur's interest at 5 per cent 1,450 (5.) Cost of raising loan and expenses incidental thereto ... 300 Total £29,000 Tho Committee have also carefully considered tho question of security for the loan, and iind that it would b© necessaiy to strike a, special nvte of 2£d in the .£1 on tho present unimproved value of the borough to provide the yeaily interest, and a sinking fund. This rate will produce £1744 ; and the sums allocated to interest and sinkrng fund would bo as follows : — £ Interest at 5 per cent, per annum 1,450 Sinking fund 1 per cent. ... ... 290 Total £1,740 This special rate would bo reduced each year with tho consent of the At-toniey-Ouneml as unimproved values of the botaugh incteased. In tho coiiiHc of general discussion it was pointed out that tho uite to be levied had been fixed at 2id, instead of l|d, but that was on the old valuation, and in tho end tho result would bo about tho same, for the rato would not bo collected until nearly two years from now. The Mayor (Mr. Pearce) said that eventually tho rato would probably not run out to moie than l£d. As to a poll, if the Council wanted to get oii6 taken before tho election of Councillors, • it would bo neceswnry to adopt tho report at once, so that preliminary steps might bo taken next day to have tho statutory notices given. If tho Council adopted tho repoit that night his Worship and tho Town Clerk w,ould submit it to tho Council's solicitor next day for revision and for advico. Councillor Henderson said it would b& well to take power to mako surplus amounts that might accrue under the separate heads of the loan, transferable. For instance, tramways might require an extra thousand pounds expenditure, and there- might bo a surplus of a thousand pounds to credit of roads ; in that case the amount could with advantage bo transferred. Tho opinions of Councillors coincided with Councillor Henderson's, and tho Mayor undertook to refer the question to tho borough solicitor. Discussion regarding tho date of taking the poll elicited the opinion that to take it before 14th or 15th April would bo inadvisable. Tho new roll would c»ni« into forco about lab April, but it Mould have to bo printed, after- that date, and therefore would not bo available until übtoit tho middle of tho month. The Mayor pointed out that an advertisement would have to be inserted in load newspapers four times at stipulated intervals, and a public meeting of ratepayers woiuld have to be la-Id on a day not moro than ten days from th& dato of tho lost adveitisement. If tho poll was to bo held on tho latest date suggested (15th April) there would still bu need for immediate hurry with thb proliminiu ies. Tho report was then put to tho meeting and adopted on tho voices. Councillor Williams moved that there be prepared for circulation amongst the ratepayers a resume of tho proposals on which tho poll of ratepayers <vns to be taken. It should, Councillor Williams thought, be drawn up in such a form that anyone interested in tho matter might understand exactly what was to happen if the proposals wero sanctioned by tho ratepayers. At present, ho believed, the peoplo hardly know what was to bo pub before them, and unless light wero bhrown. on tho proptwals thoro would bo no risk of their Deinc rejected by voters who would favour them if they property understood them. Fears wero expressed that any condensation of tho scheme would make it loss lucid, but eventually it was resolved that endeavour be mado to draft a short bxposition of tho cost of the schemo and figures concerning jtst several heads, these to bo printed as circulars and distributed amongst the ratepayers of the borough.