NORTH-EAST VALLEY BOROUGH AND AMALGAMATION.

Evening Star, Issue 14307, 4 March 1910, Page 7

NORTH-EAST VALLEY BOROUGH AND AMALGAMATION.

TO TIIE EDITOR. Sir, —I was astonished to find, by vour report of the North-oast Valley 'Borough Council's last meeting, that, not satsfied with their efforts to counteract tho amalgamation proposal by promises of reduced rates, tho Council made an attempt to throw discredit upon their predecessors in othce. Had they not done this 1 should hnvo held my peace. It was stated at the meeting that when the present Council took office it was found that the rates had been unduly raised by their predecessors, and that it was imperative that they should bo largely reduced! What are the real facts of"tho case? When the Is 9d general rate was struck by the present Council it was thought to be the equivalent of the, rate levied on unimproved values by their predecessors; and those who havo found relief under the present rate should remember that tho chango in the incidence of rating merely operated as they expected it would do. To show how utterly hollow is the pretence that the former rate was found to be unduly large, I havo merely to say that, had the present mayor and those who supported him had their way, the rates would havo been even heavier than they were, for tho successful attempts that were made by the former mayor (Mr Green) and his supporters to reduce the town clerk's estimate by £6OO were only carried in tho faco of most strenuous opposition, Cr Campbell declaring that to reduce the estimates was an insult to the town clerk! It is evident very convenient to have a poor memory, and to forget that when the rates were struck Air Green had to use his casting vote, Cr Campbell's following being so strong. The present Council say nothing of the fact that £3OO was received by them in Government grants shortly after they took office, and that, pending the receipt of this, tho old Council had to pay contract work out of loan. This was a nice little windfall for the present Council, but they prefer to take credit for management rather than for more luck.

With regard to the Council's claim to have attended to the requirements of ratepayers in Gladstone, the preceding Council (under Mr Green) were tho first Council for years to attempt to relieve the necessities of this district, and would have done mora were it not that the old councillors—now in power, including the present mayor—objected, insisting, amongst other things, that expenditure there was illegal under the Municipal Corporations Act, and threaten the intervention of the Government Auditor.

Thnt the promised reduction in rates can be only temporary, and is, indeed, rjdy intended to serve the purpose of counteracting the amalgamation proposal, is best seen by showing the inevitable expenditure out of tho rates (which latter are estimated to amount to £2,860) before a penny can he spent on road maintenance and urgent new works:— Interest in loans £585 Interest on overdraft 50 Charitable aid and hospitals ... 520 Lighting 554 Wages 623 Honorarium 25 Polling ;. ... 75 Law expenses 30 Printing and advertising 85 Sundries 150 £2,727 The Finance Committee estimate the charitable aid and hospital levies for the ensuing year at £5lB 10s Gd, but I am afraid this is rather low, for during the year 1908-09 the amount was £551 9s 7d; and that the tendency is upwards is evident when I sav that in 1907-03 it was only £2BO 5s 3d, end in 1906-07 £238 7s 4d. What it was in tho past year the present councillors probably know. I certainly do not. With regard to wages, I am equally ignorant as regards last year, but, whilst taking the Finance Committee's estimate, I know that in 190S-09 it was £775. Perhaps some of the roadmen aro to be discharged! I have also taken the Council's estimate for lighting, though the Main road certainly requires extra lamps. It will bo seen by the foregoing estimate, based upon the Finance Committee's report and former balancesheets, that there will be only about £133, plna tho Government subsidy aiiri revenue from dog licenses and rent of hall—or about £3OO all told—left for urgent new works and maintenance! Out of that sum, I ask, can the Council expect to satisfy the ratepayers, whom they represent, in their demands for the performance of long-deferred promises? Residents of Opoho and neighborhood will be crying out once more for the footpath from top to bottom of the Gardens road to bo asphalted and kerbed, and the ratepayers of Leith walk, Arthur street, Black's road, and innumerable other thoroughfares will naturally again insist upon "some return for the rates they pay. Thev want—and who can blame them?—the offensive, rough-bottomed, fever-breeding gutters in their roads to be properlv channelled. Yet in the midst of their outcry the Council propose to reduce tho rates!

South Dunedin and Cavorsham (amalgamated with thp City) pay, exclusive of water, 2s ].} d in rates; and the Valley (counting los paid for sanitary purposes as a 9d rate, which it actually is, on a £2O property) is to pay, according to the Council's own showing, a rate of i>s sd—that is to say, 3]d more than South Dunedin and Cavcrsham. And, when the Valley supplies rater at tho proposed rate of Is Cd, as against the Is rate our neighbors pav, the excess of Valley rates, all told, will he B}d, with, of course, tho inevitable prospect of further increase at tho end of the present year. I certainly recommend ratepayers to vote for amalgamation and reduced tram fares, water, and the lower pcale of rates as charged by the City.— I am, etc., E.x-Cbrjxcu.Loii. March 4.