MIRAMAR

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 11, 14 July 1928, Page 10

MIRAMAR

THE YOUNGEST CHILD HEALTH BOARD/S DECREE OTHER LOAN WORKS (8y"H.D.8.") The recent decision of the Public Health Board to grant to the Wellington City Council the right to raise a substantial loan without a poll of ratepayers provides what will probably go | down on record as a classic example of the judicious use of the powers of ;that board. The Legislature foresaw, the possibilities of danger to public health by the dependence for all amenities to the caprices and moods of the ratepayer as he uses the blue pencil in the seclusion of the cubicle in tho.booth. The story has been told before. Wellington, Greater Wellington that is, expends over many l^lls and vales. Suburbs large enough to bo independent boroughs, some actually so, have come in to share the name and fame of tho Capital City. It was the vogue for a time. The absorption by the city went apace, but the time came when the parent body commenced-. to feel its aches as though from indigestion. While the process of such absorption is now only a thing of memories, some pains still remain. Miramar is one of them. Here was a suburb self-contained and independent. It grew to municipal age and declared for it. With resources limited as such a : place must naturally be, it struggled on with commendable vigour to give its people all it could in the way of drainage, water supply, any tram connections. Miramar, however, could not free itself from inherent disabilities. It was founded, not on a rock, but on a low lying basin for the most part swampy. With but a foot or two above high water how was the accumulated surface water to be dispatched. The local borough council did wonders with its responsibilities. Greater Wellington, however, was beckoning, and the happy-ever-after event took place in 1921. In celebration of the occasion and by way of a seasonable present, Miramar had her rates reduced from 8 JO-200d in the £ to 5 62-200 d, all at the expense of the proud partner.. It would be unkind to say too much of the domestic affairs of tho new bride. Her domain consisted of 2176 acres and her people numbered 3200, but she was without municipal furnishings. There was an urgent call for the uso of the strong arm of the new partner. And ..so . • ,tho story comes to date. A largo sum of money was required, but how was this to bo provided. The ward system had been abolished in 1905. RECEIVED WITH LOUD APPLAUSE. In the pride that followed the amalgamation of sundry boroughs, the city opened its heart still more and.declared that henceforth no district need bother itself with special local rates. "We will pool all bur responsibilities,"' was' the parental decree, and the resolution was carried unanimously. But more was to come. The spirit of magnanimity now being thoroughly fired,, the civic authorities took the last plunge. Speaking to a gathering of its children of adoption, the then Mayor informed them that in future no separate rate would be levied over any of the new found heritages. When you want a loan we will vote, with you and help you pay the bill. It is'on record thatthe statement was received with loud applause. ; ',:'■ ?'■'*' ' . Miramar is now in dire need. The feeling of the morning after is in the air. A quarter of a million is wanted for public purposes, mostly for the preservation of health. An appeal Ib finally made to the City Council'and the heavy machinery is set in motion. It would be interesting to inquire,-first, as to what Miramar could do if still on its own, and, secondly, as to why the present method 'is adopted. The following figures for that suburb aro interesting:— Rateable value (unemproved), £436,----560. ' ' ' . . ' Kates before amalgamation, B.l'd. Present rates, 5.31 d. Amount now proposed to be expended £150,000. , ,•: Bate on £150,000 loan, 8.75 d. > t Water rate extra 5-J per cent, on annual value (since changed).' . .■■ Thus making a total rate of, say, Is 2d, which is impracticable. - On the second point the answer is simple. An epidemic is no respector of persons. If it started in any. quarter of the^city it would go right through. Another point worth noting is that Miramar includes some 29 acres of Government town sections (apart from reserves), which do not contribute anything to current ratesV The properties bear the rates chargeable to them before the Government purchased, but nothing else. THE ONE WAY OUT. The above generally sets out the position1 leading up to the recent application to the Public Health Board for authority to raise money without a poll of ratepayers. Miramar's polling power would be as 1 to 30 in value, and there was no hope of a poll over the whole city being successful. The legislation creating the present Health Board and its powers foresaw exactly guch a case as this. It was given direct power of initiative. It could say to a delinquent, "Such and such a work is needed in your territory. Go and do it." Fortunately the powers of tho Health Board were not restricted. The initiative could also be taken by the local body. When this aspect of its powers was under consideration it quoted the opinion of the Solicitor-General, who said:— - "Where it is clear that the^works are urgently necessary, and the local body is willing to carry them out, but has good grounds to suppose the ratepayers would not sanction the loan, there seems no reason for the Board of Health acting otherwise than it would have acted had the local body"been unwilling. To require it to take a poll in such circumstances would merely be asking it to go through an idle formality, the result of which is a foregone conclusion. There appears little justification for insisting on it going to this trouble and incurring the considerable expense involved." The case has given the board an opportunity to declare itself on an important policy issue. The formula so ably laid down by its chairman will be one applicable to all parts of New Zealand, and a serious flaw in municipal government is now remedied. LOAN AUTHORITIES FOE MIRAMAR. . The total amount which will bo ; available for expenditure in Miramar from the loan authorised by the Health Board is:—- ■.;.■£ Stormwator: Reticulation and main culverts .......... 110,210 Sowerago and water supply.. 10,800 £121,010 leaving about £28,000 for special requirements; in other parts of the city. Spread over the whole- city rating area, the burden will not be more than .13(1 in tho £. . Under other loan authorisations Miramar shares liberally. The following special works aro on loan schedules and authorised:— , Paving.—Aberdeen quay and Wat-

ford street, Hobart street, and Miramar avenue. Surface Sealing: Bridge street, Falkirk avenue, Ferry street, Hobart street, Ira street, Lmilnm street (to Falkirfc avenue), Marine parade (Falkirk avenue to Scorching Bay), Miramar avenue, and Bongotai terrace. '. Footpaths.—Forty streets are on,the schedule. . < . ,- .... .... Public Conveniences.—Oiic at Marino parade and another at Seatoun Park. The total cost of these works is estimated at £5G,000. . : . From its trials and tribulations Miramar -emerges victorious. Within a couple of years all this worky should be completed. The Access Commission recently reported on suburban prospects and schedulued ■'■ Miramar .for a greater increase in population' than any other part, of the city. The last obstacle is now removed. ■.-.;';-1