The Grey River Argus SATURDAY, March 11, 1939. HOKITIKA TOWN IMPROVEMENT.

Grey River Argus, 11 March 1939, Page 6

The Grey River Argus SATURDAY, March 11, 1939. HOKITIKA TOWN IMPROVEMENT.

The decision of the Hokitika Borough Council to undertake a definite programme of street improvement will doubtless meet with approval of the majority of the citizens. The tar-sealing, piping and levelling of four - of the principal thoroughfares have been included in the scheduled works, while lorry and other necessary equipment, as well as a staff addition, are also provided for. The dust nuisance alone hasjbr a long time pointed to the - wisdom of better road surfacing’, while the more recent extension of housing under the Government’s scheme entails street formation. Moreover, the citizens lately have demonstrated a commendable desire to join themselves in the work of town beautification, and the example of what is possible with a reasonable expenditure of energy and money is prompting a movement in favour of greater activity on the part of the Borough Council. It is well to see such a, civic spirit displayed, and the Borough Council may now expect to be reminded more frequently of its duties than has been formerly the case. No doubt, there has been a certain legacy of works coming from former Councils, whose desire has been to avoid unduly taxing the community, especially as rating meantime has been increased on account of hospital extensions, an experience made familiar to many other j boroughs at a stage decidedly earlier than its advent in Hokitika. A question underlying the 1 street improvement scheme has, therefore, been one of finance, there being, on the one hand, a proposal to obtain a loan, and on the other the idea of working instead upon revenue. Thus the Council at present is in the position that if the scheme of works should call for an immediate increase in finance, in order to complete it without delay, the rates may be raised to the extent of threepence in the pound for the coming year, making the total imposition one of two shillings in the pound. There thus remains for the Council itself a choice between completing the programme at once, and collecting the extra rate, or else concentrating on the works in question without going too far outside of the year’s revenue, and therefore taking a longer period in which to complete the job. A loan adequate, for the work would require an expert estimate, and probably were' a loan to be contemplated the scope of the improvement scheme might be somewhat enlarged, but a loan would have at least the advantage that the rating increase could be much modified, ai«l , spread over a longer term, so [that, although the actual cost of the work would in the long run be so much greater, it would be less felt by the ratepayers in the meantime. It may depend upon the speed with which the Council is able to carry out the work within its revenue whether the loan proposition will remain in abeyance, but if the town is found to extend in future as it has done of, late, the onus of keeping pace with such growth may be shifted, in part to the future and a loan! scheme be adopted. Due credit, is to be given alike to those citi-| zens who wish for a substantial

improvement ”■» their environment, and to those who do not lose sight of the fact that an increase of debt at present might become in the future an obstacle to further improvement. If it be possible without straining immediate resources to effect a large measure of improvement on the lines proposed out of revenue, a resort to borrowing would be inadvisable, but pace must nevertheless be kept‘with the needs of the day, when the standard of reading, housing and hygiene is certainly rising generally. an,d obliging every community to keep pace with it in a reasonable way. The outer margins of Hokitika, to which housing i.s now’ reaching, will require to be. brought, up to the standard in question, and if there should be any considerable growth of population, the next consideration is likely to be a sewerage system, entailing probably the raising of loan money. Possibly the Council will thus be. meantime, in a position to judge from experience, as works progress whether a loan may not eventually be necessary. There is certainly a call for essential improvements in municipal facilities, and in the estimation of a majority the means whereby these arc obtained may be if an importance secondary to their realisation.