MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13648, 16 January 1908, Page 7

MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISE.

WELLINGTON SCHEMES. "Ocr efforts as a Council," said Mr. Hislop (Mayor of Wellington), in the course of an interview, " have been directed during the past year chiefly in the direction of extending the waterworks to the high water levels. We have enlarged the dam at Karori so as to give four or five times the present output, and also enlarged the dam at Wainui-o-mata. We are putting in pumps to convey water to the reservoir prepared to supply the high water levels. This is to be followed up shortly by the drainage of the Melrose «area, which was brought into the city about four years ago. We have taken authority to borrow £100,000 for this purpose, and contemplate raising £60,000 to effect the works required for the present buildings as well as for those likely to be erected during the next year or two. "We are also giving effect to the policy adopted for securing four new grounds for recreation purposes. One of these is at Kilbirnie (costing about £8000), another in Sydney-street (costing about £10,000), and two at the southern extremity of the old city, in Duppa-street. The first two are so far prepared as to be ready for grassing. When completed the four areas will answer the purposes of the present population, but as it continues to increase, we are contemplating the reclamation of about 18 acres of the aouth-western portion of Evans' Bay, which, with several acres now in use, willjorm a suitable recreation ground for the large population which has settled and is settling at Kilbirnie, and upon the isthmus between Lyall Bay and Evans' Bay. We have also acquired an area abutting on Lyall Bay, and here we contemplate making a drive and forming a further recreation ground of nine acres. We also purpose extending the Kilbirnie tramway system to Lyall Bay. We are pushing on the ■widening of Willis-street, and have now extended the widening to beyond Chew's Lane. We purchased a block of land, rather titan pay compensation, for £38,000, and the rents from the acquired property will about pay interest upon this further extension. " A great filip to building Has been given by the change in the. municipal law whereby Councils may treat with their ground tenants on equitable terms. We find the perpetual lease, with valuations at stated periods, the most suitable, and the system has encouraged our tenants to put up substantial and superior buildings. Our income from rents last year amounted to about £15,000. We are doing a certain amount of wood blocking, of streets out of revenue, and last year a little over £4000 wa3 expended under this head. This year about £9000 will be laid out, of which the Harbour Board will contribute £4000.

"Our tramways and electric lighting (which we took over last August) are working out in an extremely healthy fashion, and we have Tjpen encouraged to face an attempt to acquire the gasworks. A committee has been sot up to consider the matter, and if possible to carry it out. We anticipate that our total revenue this year will amount approximately to £122,000, and our receipts from electric light should be from £22,000 to £23,000."