The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1907. THAT £200.000 LOAN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2069, 21 December 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1907. THAT £200.000 LOAN.

A more sensitive and less persevering man than Air. AA r . D. Lysnar would have been completely discouraged by the cd’.d reception given to his loan proposals at Thiueday night’s meeting of the Cook County Council. As we fiointed out before the meeting £200,000 is a lot of money for any public body to handle, and it is not very difficult to show a delightful state of affairs as resultant from such an expenditure—that is, on paper. Air. Lysnar’e scheme appeared so simple and liis manner so convincing as he stated the position to the Council in a full hour’s speech that it seemed heartless to disturb the atmosphere with any murmur of dissent. But when the flood of eloquence had ceased Councillors proceeded to ask questions, and the responses to every query showed tho naive simplicity of tho promoter of tho scheme in ignoring the elementary principles that weigh in such matters. Air. Lysnar assured his bearers that when the £200,000 had been borrowed and the money spent in metalling the roads the cost of maintenance would be reduced by . 50 per cent as compared with tho present cost, and in this way Tie figured out that with a Id rate tr pey interest the total rate would need to be only 3d in place of the present penny. “Think of that,*’ j he dramatically exclaimed. “Here ; wo have tho chance to spend £200,I 000 oir our roads and at the same time reduce tho rate from one penny to three-farthings. Is it not our duty to recommend til’s step to .the ratepayers?” But Air. Lysnar failed to give a tittle of evidence in support of his statement that the ' cost of maintenance would bo reduced in the manner stated. All that lie did advance in this respect was his ojvn personal opinion that a properly constructed metalled road will : require less maintenance than a poorly metalled one. This, of course, is correct, but tho majority of tho roads in the County are not metalled at aM and comparatively IMttlo is spent on their maintenance at the present, time. In winter they are almost impassable, but in. summer they are available for traffic almost i as soon as the weatlier breaks. If ; those roads are metalled they will at ; once prove of immense convenience to settlors, but the cost of mainten- ' an co would obviously become a substantial item. Tho amount would possilily prove a sound investment for settlors because of tho saving in cartage, but it is unquestionable that the laying down of metalled roads throughout tho County would materially increase tlie cost of maintenance, and instead of a 3d rate being sufficient to pay ' interest and maintenance, more than double that amount would in all probability be required. An approximate estimate could bo obtained from a qualified engineer, but it is just these important details which Air. Lysnar finds it convenient to ignore. Then again, the proposals for tho allocation of tho money aro of the crudest' jvossiblo description, and AXr. Lysnar must have had an ejetraordinary opinion of his colleagues if he thought they were likely to endorse the schedulo attached to tho report. This, it appeal’s, was drawn up on the basis that the money to be expended would bo allocated on the ratable vaf.uo of the various ridings. There was no mention of the actual requirements of tho different districts, or of adjustments as between ridings which have conflicting interests. "When the folly of submitting such a schedule to the ratepayers was pointed out Air. Lysnar calmly persisted in inviting tho Chairman to suggest a better method there and then. Captain Tucker naturally objected to being rushed into such a position, and adopted a proper attitude in saving that lie was willing to take in a. careful consideration of tlie whole position, Traced upon information which they would obtain from the engineer. A good deal of time was spent, and the meeting, which was by no means without animation, ultimately took the only course possible by deferring further consideration. As Captain Tucker remarked, there is nothing to be gained, but possibly something to bo lost by undue haste in sneh a matter and Air. Lysuar’e attempt to hurl a bujjp

borrowing scheme, concerning which there was a great diversity of opinion amongst tho Council, at tho ratepayers with a. “there it is ; do what you lilco with it,” was simply shirking responsibility. Tho Council has undoubtedly a big problem to face in endeavoring to provide for tho absoluto necessities of the settlors from an exceedingly restricted exchequer. It is quite probable that tho only solution will bo tlio raising of la. big loan, blit before the subject is submitted to tho ratepayers the owis devolves upon tho Council to go carefully into tho matter and show that the scheme is financially sound, and that it will ho equitable in its working. In .arriving at this conclusion it will not be sufficient to givo tho opinions and the hopes of sanguine councillors. There must bo facts and figures based upon tlie reports of engineers and road experts, and a most thorough investigation of tho respective claims of each, riding affected by tho borrowing proposals.