ROSLYN AMALGAMATION PROPOSAL.

Evening Star, Issue 14963, 24 August 1912, Page 10

ROSLYN AMALGAMATION PROPOSAL.

[By Arrangement.] TO THE ELECTORS OF THE BOROUGH OF ROSLYN. The committee appointed by the supporters of the proposal that the Roslyn Borough .-hould amalgamate with Dunedin Citv consider- it advisable, in view of the fact that a poll will shortly be taken on the question, io place before the electors the following short summary of the advantages which will accrue to Roslyn electors if amalgamation is carried: I, —General Question of Finance. Dunedin. Roslvn. Cr. Dr. Cr. "Dr. Balance of assets over liabilities— Municipal department £9,647 Nil Nil £3,101 Trading department 199,434 Nil £4OO Nil £209,081 Nil £4OO £3,101 In estimating the assets of Dunedin, the endowments are taken as being worth £200,000 —i.e., capitalising them at 5 per cent, on the annual income produced (viz., £10,000). As a matter of fact, they are valued at £330,000. In the trading departments of the City the assets have been carefully written down, and an allowance of £50,000 has been made to cover dead assets represented by horse oar purchase and temporary steam plant. _ Roslyn has made no allowance for depreciation in respect of its only trading department—the water department. The sum o f about £75 is paid out of revenue annually towards loan redemption. This is intended to act instead of a sinking fund. It is evident, therefore, that the value of the assets muet be somewhat reduced. The above balance of assets over liabilities in the City represents over £5 per head of its population. To put itself on an equal footing, Roslyn would require to find additional assete worth £31,421. —Annual Revenue. — Receipts last year were as follow : Dunedin. Roslyn. s. d. e. d. Rates 19 1 Hi Rents and miscellaneous 0 11 0 1 Trading department profits 0 6 0 3 3 22 oi Roslvn had 2-£ d in the £ more rates to spend than Dunedin. If Dunedin were put on an equal footing it would mean another £5,000 a year. Note, also, Roslyn transferred every pennv of profit from its trading department! Dunedin only transferred £12,000 out of an available £22,999. It may ba admitted that in both Dunedin and Roslvn the streets need considerable repairs, "if Dunedin borrowed £IOO,OOO, the annual charges for interest and sinkins: fund (sav. £5 per cent.) would only represent a 2Jd rate. This would still leave Dunedin in the same position as regards rating as Roslvn now is. If Roslyn borrows £IO,OOO, as is proposed, and the money is obtained at 4£ per cent., this, with a £ per cent, sinking fund, would represent an annual charge of £SOO, or a further rate of 2d in the £. The result of such expenditure will probably mean a considerable saving in annual charges for maintenance, tut this would apply equally tc Dunedin as to Roslyn. ll.—The Personal Aspect. 1. Rating.—ln the sewered area of Roslyn the rates are 2Ad in the £ higher than in Dunedin. If the ratepayer has a stand pipe, they ar-j 5d in the £ higher. In the unsew-ied area the rates on properties averaging £3O rateable value are about equal. 2. Kerbing and Channelling.—ln Roslyn ha If-cost is charged to the frontagers. Taking the half-cost at £2 12s 6d per chain, for a property valued at £4O a year, with a frontage of one chain, this represents a rate of Id in the £ for 15 years. If the property is valued »t £2O ■i year, and has a chain frontage, it equals a rate of 2d in the £ for the same period. In the Citv no charge is made against frontagers, but all kerbing and channelling is done at the expense of the ratepayers generally. 3. Lending Department of Free Public Llbr.iv\.—Roslyn residents are depnvcd of the" right to the privileges of this depal tment. If Roslyn joins the City this di%adv.ii tago i a removed. 4. Fire Control.—On amalgamation with the Citv the hj mseholdai's 'if Roslyn would have more efficient protection from fire, as area would come within the control of tho Dunedin Fire Bojrd. 5. Lighting.—The lights at present in Roslyn streets are extinguished at 12 p.m. on week nights, 10 p.m. on Sundays. In the City they burn till 2 a.m on week nisrhts, 12 p.m. on Sundays. 6. Water. —A "charge is made in Roslyn' of 10s per year for a stand-pipe. Hundreds of residents are debarred from the use of water on this account. In Dunedin no charge is made, and the supply of water is not limited. lll.—The Economic Aspect. 1. The works department of the City obtains its supplies of metal, screenings", tpaals, etc., from its own quarry it a considerably cheaper rate than Rorlyn can buy such materials. It also can buy tar and other supplies at a cheaper rate. In addition to these advantages, the whole expert engineering and inspecting staff of the City would be at tho district's disposal.

2. In the City gas connections are laid free of charge 50ft inside the owner's boundary if required. In Roslyn the consumer is charged 4d per foot inside the building line. 3. Lighting.—Roslyn at present buys its electrical" current from the Roslyn Tram Company. Tin's means a double profit i« paid. In order to save this pr >fit, the wiring would require to be altered, at a cost of £I,OOO. The present lighting rate only pays expenses. New lights are required, and their installation is contemplated. This means extra expenditure, which must be met cut of rates. The cost to Roslyn at present is £3 10s per lamp, without maintenance. Tho cost from the City is £3 5s per lamp, with maintenance. 4. Increased Indebtedness —At the present time the follow ing expenditure is contemplated in Roslyn: (1) Loin :'or Town Hall and offices £2,500 (2) Loan for street works ... 10,000 (3) Installation of fire alarm system 400 £12,900 On. amalgamation the'To-wn Hall would be unnecessary, and the other services would be obtained at the expense of the Greater Dunedin ratepayers. IV.—General. It has been urged that the experience of the boroughs of Caversham, South Dunedin, and North-east Valley has proved that amalgamation has not been to the advantage of the boroughs. Prom careful inquiries we have made amongst the ratepayers of substance in these boroughs, we find that there is an almost unanimous opinion in favor of amalgamation. More attention has been given to the public works of these boroughs, and the condition of residents therein hae vastly improved. Tho trading concerns of the City are all now on a firm financial basis. As far as can be judged, the profits from these departments will increase from year to year. This will mean that the City wlil be able to either make a reduction in rates or apply the profite in assisting the municipal department to l a greater extent than is at present done. The cable tramway question is one which it ie quite beyond the power of the borough to handle. The amount of capital to be found to purchase the plant, etc., must be raised by way of loan. The City, with its greater resources, could borrow to better advantage than could the borough, and with its present tramways department ; could manage the trams more economically i and more efficiently. It will only be by economical management that fare concessions will be possible, and centralisation of management under such an efficient staff as Dunedin cen command is the only way to achieve economy. I In conclusion, we trust all electors will not consider the matter from an entirely parochial point of view. The union of the smaller boroughs with tho City is greatly to be desired, as tho united efforts of the whole of Greater Dunedin is necessary if Dunedin is to regain the position she once held amongst the cities of the Dominion. For the committee, Donald Reid, Jun., C. G. White, T. J. Hussev.