CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 109, 9 May 1914, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE

VIGOROUS POLICY WORKS COSTING OVER £300,000. TO THE MAYOR AMD COUNCILLORS OF WELLINGTON CITY. TO THE EDITOR. Sirs, — As a ratepayer of Goldie's Brae I read the above announcement with feelings of trepidation. lam not by nature suspicious, but my memory and pocket still feel the strain resulting from the Wadestown tramway loan poll. It mulcted the little Goldie's Brae portion of the city of Wellington ratepayers in a special rate not exceeding 3^d in the £ upon the unimproved value (extra rates).' I ask you to kindly grasp that fact, "3^d in the £ over and above existing rates." It also further penalised them by the inquisitorial charge of Id tram fare along the half-section from Lambton Station to Park-street, at the junction of Moiesworth-street with Tinakori-road, while other citizens were allowed to travel over the same lines and right on up to the Botanical Gardens from Lambton Station or Lambton-quay for the charge of Id. At the time, the Goldie's Brae residents fought the City Council at Court upon the question of the levy of a special rate, contending that the tram was a superfluous service to them, as they already had the Thorn-don-quay service at half the fare to Lambton Station of that now charged over the new route, 2d. The council contended that, as it was decided upon making the charge of only Id from Goldie's Brae to Lambton Station, the Goldie's Brae ratepayers should be rated, as they would be receiving a benefit in so much as that the, new tram would save them the inconvenience of two minutes' walk to arfd from the Thorndonqliay tram. Judgment was given against Goldie's Brae, and it was evidently inadvertently omitted to make the judgment conditional upon the establishment of the Id section to Lambton Station, with the result that the Wellington City Council simply changed its mind and made two short Id sections of the distance. It is hard to credit such a statement, but I ask the present council to verify the facts for itself. Now, I ask, is it. to be wondered at that I and the other ratepayers of Goldie's Brae experience feelings of anxiety in respect to your proposal to borrow over £300,000. Civic progress is all very well in its way, so long as the liability is fairly distributed. It would* never do to charge Kilbirnie ratepayers with the whole cost of the proposed tunnel, viz., £70,000, for it would be treating them upon the same footing as the late City Council treated Golaie's Brae residents in respect to the tram, ''and both districts are city ratepayers. Upon the other^ hand, Miramar has not amalgamated with the city, and, in my opinion, it should amalgamate, so that the whole tram, service may be pooled and all rating fairly distributed. Until something, is done to rectify the present unsatisfactory system of rating, it is' not to be expected that proposed loans, no matter how necessary and important to the welfare of the people, will receive the support they deserve. Goldie's Brae, under the existing system, cannot afford to vote for any loans. I would respectfully suggest that you devise some means of pooling the whole tram system and of bringing Mirametr into the city before further complicating the position by submitting any loans to the ratepayers of the city. In your programme you appear to have overlooked the very best asset in the way of reserves, namely, the Wadestown bush. Tram access and other conveniences and attractions at the Wadestown bush- would not only open up the best attraction the city could boast, but would convert an unpayable tram service into a profit-making investment. — I am, etc., PROGRESS. 6th May, 1914.