CITY AND SUBURBS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 32, 7 August 1923, Page 8

CITY AND SUBURBS

CONSOLIDATION OF LOANS

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY.

Councillor J. Aston, a member of the Legislation Committee of the City Council, expressed surprise while conversing with a "Post" reporter to-day at the amount of adverse criticism levelled at the Wellington City Loans Consolidation and Empowering Bill. Tile principle of the Bill, he said, was no new thing, for other municipalities had adopted similar measures. The guiding principle underlying all legislation should be "the greatest good to the greatest number," and the making of laws that operate in the interest of all. In this connection it was to be regretted that the "question of city verses suburbs had been raised, for it could not serve any useful purpose. Several months ago, candidates for election to the City Council pledged themselves to the betterment and advancement of Greater Wellington as a whole. It was quite possible >that in the consolidation of loans, and in the adjustment thereof, and covering so larga a territory, some portion of the city would be called upon to pay a somewhat increased rate, but if that aspect of the matter were followed to its logical conclusion, it could be shown that the city ratepayer benefited very largely at the expense of his suburban brother. The city ratepayers had well-formed streets, footpaths flagged or asphalted to their full width, and properly kerbed and channelled from end to end. Corporation employees wera regularly at work along these thoroughfares to daily clean up refuse, with water-carts in the summer to keep down the dust.

"There are hundreds of residents in outlying districts who do .not possess & single footpath," said Councillor Aston, "in many cases not even a formed street or road, and most of these thoroughfaif s are but dimly lighted. Corporation employees come round a few times a year to cut down the growth of grass, dock, and fennel, and make some attempt at a 'fclean-up. Revenue is demanded from both city and suburban ratepayers by way of general rates, but which" of the two receives the service? The library rate is levied over the whole of the city. Hot salt water and tepid baths have beeu provided for, as also baths for Thorndon. Apart from fees received, the total cost and upkeep of these undertakings fall on the rates. How far do they beneßt the ratepayers of Seatoun, Miramar, Melrose, Karori, Ngaio, Khandallah, and other suburban areas? There must be in all these matters the element of give and take, unless it were possible that rates be levied on a sliding scale, and collected in proportion to service rendered. ■ This is a sheer impossibility, and therefore the most equitable and economic method is the consolidation of the various loans, with rates adjusted accordingly, as now proposed in this .Bill.

In regard to clause 5, the "loans without polls" clause of the Bill, Councillor Aston considers that a. proper safeguard i'Sn SJ 5- 6 Prov'ded were a limit of ±^U,UOO in any one year imposed, as was done m the case of the Christchurch Tramway Board, but it had to be remembered that £20,000 spent on tramway works m a flat city like Christchurch meant a very much greater result in •to iv Work done than ib could mean in Wellington, where the engineering difncuities were so much greater.