ST. KILDA PROPOSED LOAN

Evening Star, Issue 12626, 4 October 1905, Page 4

ST. KILDA PROPOSED LOAN

As a progressive borough St. Kilda is suffering from grcwing paiiis, and the doctor (in the shape of the local Council) has prescribed the raising of a £7,000 law i as the only remedy likely to alleviate the trouble. In accordance with lav, a meeting of ratepayers was held in the Council Chambers last evening to consider the prescription and about fifty persons attended. The Mayor (Mr J. J. Marlow) presided. The Obairman explained that the Council's proposal was to raise a loan of £7,000, cl'iefly for the purpose of road and footpath formation. The Council had for some month* laboriously coneidefed the matter, and at length submitted for the ratepayers' consideration a schedule of allocation. He distinctly wished t&em to know that the allocation did cot bind tie Council legally, but no doubt the schedule would oe closely followed. He proceeded to read out the details of the schedule, which showed an allocation of £3,150 for each of Park and Musselburgh Wards, which, with £3OO for additions to the Town Hall and contingencies, totalled £7,000. Items which, perhaps, required explanation were the i amounts set down for Hillside re ad and Queen's Drive. The idea, was to make these two streets first-class, up-to-date thoroughfares, as that would enhance the value of property in all parts of the district. The allocation for the Hillside road was £7OO. and thai for Queen's Drive £740. It was intended to kerb and concrete channel thes» roads, and make a permanent job of them. The loan would be spread over a period of three years, and it was intended to go on • with the work as the Drainage Board finished operations. Where there was a likelihood of years elapsing before the Board started business toe work would bo gone on with; at any rate, the Council ware protected, ai the Board were bound to put tie streets in as good repair as they found them. lie would be pleased to answer questions. Mr H. W. Mitchell asked if it would not be better to put the side streets in order first, so as to encourage people to build. He aim wished to know if an additional rate would be rquired to pay interest an the proposed loan. The Chairman »aid that the present rate would meet all charges. No wtfcra rate need bo imposed. Mr Aslin asked whether, in the event of footpaths being formed, ratepayers would be called upon tto pay any proportion of the coat. The Chairman: Certainly. They will be called upon to pay half-oout oi all paiis properly formed. That principle has already teen carried out on the Hillside road, where the footpath haa been permanently formed. Mr Mace said he noticed that £3OO was allocated for additions to tie Town Hall. Was there any necessity for that, and would not the £3OO be better spent on footpaths?—(Hear, hear.) The Chairman said that the hall paid all expenses last year, and left a surplus of £B. This was without debiting it with anything for use of tbe chambers by the Council. The reason for the proposed enlargement was tiat they let the hall for revenue purposes, and of their best tenants wanted it front entrance. Additional facilities would increase the letting value of the hall, and as the interest on the £3OO proposed to be expended would amount to out £l3 10a. .the money would be wisely spent. The Council had not definitely decided what the. alteration* were to be, but ft sketch had been drawn np, and on that the estimate oi £3OO had been foundedMr J. G. Robertson agreed that the proposal was a wise one , , , Mr Q. Hodges asked if there was any objection to phwring * <»PT °f J nß . aiXo ' cation wtedufe on the CqunsiJ table, so that any ratepayer might see it, and The Cl»irw ln *wd **° would see that I tbat wa* dd««». He again reminded the ratepayers that tbe schedule did not legally bind tie Council in every particular, but no doubt it would be closely followed, as in the case ->l the previous loan. Mr Carroll asked if any provision waa made in the schedule for better lightinj;, and WM told, that the matter of lighting would havi to be faced separately. A Ratepavgr complaLid that in the past Park Ward had been neglected to the benefit of Musselburgh Word, and he for one could not understand where the money Cr' 8,. Mi*cliel! drew attention to the disparity in the amounts proposed to be spent on Market street and Queen's Drive nspectivelv, and as the allocation for the latter * thoroughfare aeened to ho a «.re point with many present, Mr Aslin said it would clear tie air, perhaps, if tbe mayor would tell them what was expended last year on the Drive proportionately ■to lates received. 'The answer was that the amonnt received from rates from Drive properties for the last twelve months was £321, and tbe sum expended £77. Mr Swinton aeked if £l, or even 10s, had been spent on Bowen street, and The Chatnnan expUin*d this omission by saying that unfortunately the mayor lived in that street, and it would look bad for much i&oney to be spent there.— (Laughter.) Bowen street carried a great dtal of heavy traffic, and though £SO had been expended on it last year there was not much to show for it. Besides, the Drainage Board's operation* had cui k up a lot, but this would bo raada good in time. Mr Stomham said be did not doubt the wisdom of the loan, but thought some qf it should bo spoilt on a nmd-scraper, which would,benefit the borough and save a groat dtal of expenso, ~.„,.,• The Chairman, smd tl»t the loan would allow tbem to obtain such conveniences. Ho further said that the wetting was called purely for the purpose tf oxplana* tion. No resolution W*A necMwy. A r<rfl would be taken at an early dnte, ajtd hj« trnsted tbat when the matter did com* bsfore tbe riitepwyoff everybody interested would take the trouble to record their vctes- The proposed loan affected them •ajl, Mid those who"wwhed the borough to ragrefs should not forget petting day.