BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17571, 9 September 1920, Page 4

BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS.

MT. ALBERT 'IMPROVEMENTS.

SCHEME BEFORE RATEPAYERS.

The proposed comprehensive scheme of

improvements in the Borough of Mount Albert, involving the raising of a loan of £191,000, the expenditure to he spread

over a period of 10 years, was the subject of a meeting of ratepayers held at the Jubilee Hall, Kingsland, last evening. The Mayor, Mr. T. B. Clay, presided, and about sixty people were present. Mr. Clay said the proposals could he considered under three beads. The first was an allocation of £9000 for municipal buildings, and a library on the Bite already purchased. Next was the scheme of road contruction, for which £100,000 had been allocated. For sewerage and storm water drainage £82,000 had been set aside. The proposed expenditure was justified by the remarkable expansion of the borough, and its present high standing. It was proposed to expend the roading and drainage loans at a rate of about £20,000 a year. Mr. F. >E. Powell, consulting engineer to the council, said the construction of a sewer from the No. 8 branch of the Auckland main drain to Edendale necessarily implied relief to some extent of the storm-water troubles of the district. This, however, would mean further flooding of the Meola Creek, at the lower end of Mount Albert, which would possibly involve the council in heavy compensation for damage. As it would be necessary to construct a tunnel through the rock, for the purpose of the Edendale sewer, it would be a comparatively inexpensive matter to make provision in the tunnel for dealing with the storm-water. Whether this was done or not the provision would have to be made at the lower end of the Meola Creek for getting rid of extra storm-water, and the expense would be still more justified by the proposed work in the tunnel. He had no hesitation in saying that the opportunity should on no account be missed of doing away with this long-standing trouble, and greatly enhancing the value of the borough. Members of the council spoke in support of the proposals. In answer to an inquiry, the Mayor said the poll would be taken on September 29.

A vote of thanks was accorded to the Mayor for his explanation of the scheme.