AN INSTALMENT OF CITY WORKS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 28, 2 August 1921, Page 6

AN INSTALMENT OF CITY WORKS

The City Council has decided to test the British market with a view to raising £750,000 as a first instalment of the authorised loan schedule (£1,708,916)} The £750,000 will be allocated to three purposes, which, in order of financial amount, are: Tramways, £519,000; water supply, £174,000; street works, £57,000. " Tramways " is the biggest item, but would not be if it did hot include a> sub-item of £350,000, which far exceeds the total of the other two items, and which is dedicate to the new steamelectric power station at Evans Bay. In the original advocacy of this station, the time-factor was important, but so much time has been lost, owing to the financial stringency, that it is not certain that the original arguments fully apply. If the £350,000 proves to be obtainable, we would hesitate to raise questions that might cause further delay, fc bufc if the money cannot be borrowed the whole question may call for review. The water-supply money is for the Orongorongo scheme minus the pipe-line to Karori (deferred), and the street works money is for permanent roads in Victoria and Wakefield streets (in which will be laid down a new tramway)', in Thorndon-quay (the tramway in which will be duplicated), and in Featherston-street. Island Bay tramway will also be duplicated. Bef erring again to the electric power question, is the Council taking any steps to fulfil its obligations as a Powsr Board to enable the city to make prompt use of power from Mangahao 1