The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1938. CIVIL ENTERPRISE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1938, Page 4

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1938. CIVIL ENTERPRISE.

The uplift being remarked on up and down New Zealand by the growth in trade and does not appear to have appropriate reactions in our civic enterprise or general interest in the town’s welfare. There has been of late a demand (long overdue) for some marked improvement in the thoroughfares, but the controlling authority failed to respond and take action. In many parts there is pronounced activity in street and road improvement for the benefit of traffic. Here the negative attitude has resulted in the streets often deteriorating into a shameful condition. The same remark unfortunately applies to the footpaths. The consideration, for the pedestrian is little more than nil—an occasional load of gravel, or clipping of grass to relieve flood waters, i Vet, in the past, it has been demonstrated what can be done very effec-

tively with the use of tar and grit to

surface the footpaths and afford pedestrians reasonable consideration. The material for the revival of that policy. is at hand, but the enterprise is lacking to use it. When the last municipal election was in progress -‘■here was much promise of action, but actually there has been little more done than talk—and that only by a small section of the members. The project seems necessary, and if it were put to the test with the people, the Council would know how far the ratepayers were ready to co-operate. Such an appeal could be made through a loan proposal for street and footpath improvement, involving also attention to open drains in main thoroughfares. A schedule of works drawn up with fair consideration for the wants of different localities, would be a test of public feeling_ on the matter, and it is not a difficult matter for the local body to proceed with the idea. The town is about/to be revalued, and in that connection it can be expected the rateable value will increase. This wili mean a fairer spread of any cost to be involved in the result from loan expenditure. The growth of population, combined with the expansion of the town in various directions, is ooing to make more and more demands on the revenue j if all essential works are to be attempted out of local income. There are works in sight of useful community value which might well be spread under loan expenditure, and so extend the repayment over a term for the attention of those coming after. Many works could be done tinder contract, expediting the completion, and reducing the cost to the local liody materially. In that way, funds raised by loan could be spread to better advantage. With the restrictions on local bodies under present awards, much better value could be obtained for the ratepayers by the contract system, whether under ordinary tender, or by co-operative contract at a fixed cost known from the outset. In tile economical administration of public works expenditure the practice referred to is worth considering, for it is essential with restricted income for the ratepayers who are large contributors, to receive the fullest value for their annual rating levies.