MOUNT EDEN DRAINAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16873, 11 June 1918, Page 7

MOUNT EDEN DRAINAGE.

MAYOR'S REPLY To CRITICS.

The efforts of a section of the Mount Eden ratepayers to prevent the granting of authority by the Minister fur Finance, to the council to issue debentures for a £10,000 loan for drainage purposes in the borough were referred to by tin; Mayor, -Mr. O. Nicholson, at last night's meeting of the council, when a petition was read from 60 ratepayers, asking that drainage be provided for Dexter Avenue and Mount Pleasant Road. The Mayor said the council must bo aware, that the request of tie' petitioners could not he complied with unless the authority to issue, the debentures was obtained. Those in opposition to the. proposal wore still endeavouring to prevent the couieil obtaining the desired authority, but despite the underhand methods employed, the authority would be granted. He moved that the petitioners be informed of the whole facts, so that they would understand the reason for the delay in carrying out the drainage work. Mr. C. Hudson, who seconded the motion, suggested that it should state that the council had been seriously hampered by tho action of those who opposed the granting of the necessary authority. Mr. Davis protested that the councillors who opposed the granting of the authority were not opposed to carrying out drainage work, hut to extravagant expenditure on items that were not drainage. The amount of £1781 was included under the lieadin" of general expenditure. The Mayor said that- the resolution passed "v the council was to raise £10.000 to be applied exclusively to drainage work and it was being opposed not only by legi'. timate means, but by underhand methods. Mr. Davis: You're not using the. money exclusively for drainage The Mayor: If the money is not used exclusively for drainage, the council will render itself liable for obtaining money under false prelrnc es. The Mayor's motion was carried with only one dissentient.