CHRISTCHURCH AND ITS SUBURBS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16805, 15 March 1915, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH AND ITS SUBURBS.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —AY hat is the reason tlie rates are always going up:" You never had good roads, ana you never will, until you adopt tlie Eagiian Tyre Act*. Just fancy all tlie traffic in and around the city being carried on wheels which hare tyres not more than two to three inches wide, and most of them half-rounded. Then you have the motor-car, wiiicu draws or pulls along your roads by suction, thus sucking up all soft and loose material to the solid metal. These cars pay nothing for the upkeep of the roads. In England earn county levies a duty on motor oil for the upkeep of the roads and streets. Besides this tho car pays a license according to its size and weight. Hem the ratepayers who do not own any wheeled vehicle of any kind have to pay for tlie upkeep of these roads, but tho difference between the two countries is this: England is governed by the people for tho people, New Zealand is governed by the “ moneyed octopus,’" the “land crab” and the “road hog,'’ so that the industrial community pays for all.

This is a Liberal country. All are Liberal—Massey, Ward and file whole lot. It does' not matter much who gets into power, they are all Liberals, but this part of the city suburbs of Christchurch seems to carry the cake for a Liberal suburb, I mean Spreydon.

lVc have miles upon miles of beautiful streets.-curbed and channelled, and nice asphalt footpaths leading to beautiful grass fields and postures.. The Council Chambers are in the midst of grass fields, with a cottage dotted here and there. There is very little traffic in the street I live in, except the butcher, milkman and baker. The gutter is swept often, but there is never anything to sweep out. A\ e have a concrete bridge over a. creek that was not required, as most of the vehicles are driven through the water to give the horses a drink. The borough of Sprevdon is mostly grass fields, and the rates on these' fields are between £2 and £3 per aero. This is a big rent without counting the c-ash these fields cost and interest on capital. It is no wonder the “ land crabs ” of Christchurch have the whole borough boa rded np For sale. It strikes me these “ land crabs ,T were the means of laying out this borough to fatten on the unearned increment. One could travel all around the world and pot find another such borough. Some time ago this borough procured ai loan of £2U,UUU to make roads, curb channelling and asphalt footpaths through grass Fields. There is no traffic on the footpaths, so the grass grows through them. I believe the “ land crabs ” have sold most of this land on the Following easy terms: —5 per cent easily clown, o per cent in three months, 5 per cent_ in six months, and in the six intervening months they have taken 2.i per cent „f the purchase money. Then the purchaser is saddled with all rates and taxes. —T am, etc., A VICTIMISED RATEPAYER.