BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16971, 3 October 1918, Page 7

BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS.

WORKS AT BIRKENHEAD. Loan proposals occupied the attention of the Birkenhead Borough Council for the greater portion of the • meeting held last evening. The Mayor, Mr. J. P. McPhail, presided. . In accordance -with notice, Mr. E. G. Skeates moved that loan proposals should be put before ratepayers in three issues (1) 'for £10,000, for road and footpath ImSirovements, without increase of rates; (2) or a further sum of £8000, for road and footpath improvements, including a concrete road for a portion of the width of the main road, from the wharf to Highbury Corner, with an increase if one farthing in rates; (3) a further £7000, to provide a municipal and goods transit service, also shelters or waiting-rooms at Verran's Corner and Highbury Corner, and further improvements to roads and footpaths, with an increase of a farthing in the rates. ,

The Mayor said he considered that proposals to borrow £25,000 would not find favour with the ratepayers/ The amount should be limited to £10,000.

Mr. Campbell said it should be made clear that the £25,000 would embrace a municipal omnibus service and road and footpath improvements at an additional rate of one half-penny in the £~ It was important that the council should face the matter of the omnibus service, and provide ample transit facilities to 'all parts of the borough. An amendment was agreed to, that two iiisues be put, viz.: £10,000 and £25,000, the latter to include the road improvement scheme and transit service.

The Minister for Internal Affairs, in acknowledging a resolution of the council restricting the freedom enjoyed by enemy aliens, intimated that Cabinet considered that for the present all necessary action had been taken.

The waterworks engineer reported that 600,000 gallons of water had been used in the borough during September.