PAPAKURA ROAD DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15659, 13 July 1914, Page 4

PAPAKURA ROAD DISTRICT.

Sir.—-In the Country News column of the llmuld, of the Bth inst., under the heading of Manurewa, there is a report about a road loan. Though tho meeting was held in the -Manurewa Hall it was with referonce to the Papakura Road district. The statement of a speaker that a special rate of id in the £ would provide interest and sinking fund on a loan of £14,000, is, I consider, exceedingly doubtful. It is only allowing 5 per cent., and I doubt if that will prove sufficient. The next statement, "That the present rato of noarly Id in the £ should provide ainplo funds to pay interest and sinking fund, without a further rate being struck," is, I consider, misleading. It implies that tho Road Board rate of a |d in the £, and the county of seven-sixteenths of a penny are both struck on tho capital value. This is not so. The Road Board rate is on the unimproved value, and I think, judging by mv own case, the combined rates would amount to about 2d in the £ on the capital value. Tims, on the speaker's own showing the present combined rate would have to be increased by about 20 to 25 per cent. I think an increase of 50 per cent, would be nearer the mark. Again, the interest could not be paid out of the general rates. A special rate would have to be struck and collected, for I am pretty sure that in law this will be found not to bo a district loan but a sectional one. The main road is under the county. It is not a county loan, nor even a riding loan, but only a part of a riding, consequently the interest and sinking fund could not be paid out of the general rate. At the largely-attended annual meeting of ratepayers tho whole loan question was referred to the board for consideration, to see if they could devise a satisfactory scheme to report at next meeting. I would therefore strongly advise the ratepayers not to compromise themselves on irresponsible loan proposals until a detailed scheme is brought forward. If the newly-constituted Ratepayers' Association would inquire from the United States and other countries for the best means of road construction, they might materially assist the board and benefit the district, should a loan proposal be carried. Manurewa. F. M. Allen.