A MODERN BOROUGH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18411, 29 May 1923, Page 5 (Supplement)

A MODERN BOROUGH

MUNICIPAL UNDERTAKINGS LAST YEAR'S PROGRESS IMPROVED PUBLIC SERVICES DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME

The capital value of the 3200 odd acres, comprising tho Hamilton borough, is this year given by the Valuation Department as £3,982,086; the unimproved value as .£2,0-10.080. Rates are struck on the unimproved value, and for rating purposes the. town is divided into tlfreo areas, the rates on which last year were: Hamilton, 5 7-16il in the £: Franktcvn, 215-16 din tlio £; and Claudelands, 3£d in the £. Including the two well populated suburban districts of To liapa and Fairfield, the estimated population is 15,000. It is anticipated that both these districts will soon be brought under the control of the Hamilton Borough Council. During tlio last financial year, 217 new dwellings, estimated to cost. £137,975, 61 now business premises, costing £55,072, and 197 additions, valued at £22,526, were completed, whilst Government, and local body buildings, for which no permits were issued, are estimated to have cost £30, The total expenditure in the borough on buildings—— well up to the average of the last four years, which is about £250,000. The number of cars registered by the borough is now 3860, but as there is another registering body, with an office in the town, it is estimated that this figure, large as it is, does not convey the true number of cars which are in commission in the town Mid its immediate vicinity. Loans totalling £461,055 were current at March 31 last, against which accrued sinking funds amounted to £26,439. Much of the debt has been incurred in connection with the trading departments of tlio council, viz., gas, water, and electricity, and consequently is reproductive. Each department, considering tho capital invested in tho undertakings, shows a reasonable credit balance on last year's working, and at the conclusion of the year tho council's genera] account, which includes tho revenues received from these departments, was in credit at the bank to tlie extent of £9820. Last year was the first complete year in which electricity, derived from water {tower, was available, and tho result lias been very satisfactory. Practically tho whole of tho business and residential areas havo been t reticulated, and the great bulk of tho town is now efficiently and well lighted at night with electric lamps, arranged on tho most modern lines. Any quantity of cheap electric power is available for all purposes, and special juices are quoted to any prospective consumer of a largo amount of " juice," when tlio supply does not have tlio effect of raising tho present maximum domain! between 5 p.m. find 10 m. During the last eight months consumers have been connected by the department at tho rate of 50 per month. For many years past Hamilton lias been supplied with a high calorific value gas, which is now largely used for cooking and general heating purposes. Cookers aro supplied on ea'iy terms, or may be hired. Again, for largo users, special prices re quoted for gas The water supply is obtained from the Waikato River, and is raised to storage reservoirs by means of electrically-driven Roving pumps, which aro operated automatically by means of a time switch. The water is efficiently tucated with chlorine before reaching tho reservoirs, whence it gravitates all over the town. The service mains linvo been increased and greatly .extended during the past.year, and now a good pressure for domestic and general purposes is available at all times, whilst in tho event of a largo firo arrangements have been ma do to pump direct into the mains should a higher pressure bo needed. Fire prevention and control is undor the jurisdiction of a firo board. The modern equipment at the central station includes one of tho most powerful fire-fighting; engines in New Zoaland, and tho purchase of a smaller engine is under consideration. A duplex fire alarm system is now being installed, and when completed some 28 boxes will Ik> available. The main business area arid tho older portion of Hamilton West have been sewered since 1905. During the last 14 months tho sum of £5000 per month has been spent jit extending the area in which sewers arc in use. Koine seven septic tanks and IB miles of new sewer mains have been completed in various parts of the town. Tho system is a gravitational one, and the work has been done largely by contract at prices which com pa jo favourably with the engineer's estimates. It is hoped to maintain the ])resent rate of progress during tho next, seven or eight months, at the end of which time the present scheme, which provides for the bulk of the town, will lie finished, To assist householders to' connect their premises the Council last year obtained th» sum of £5000 which is being lent to ratepayer* in small amounts as required. Those to whom loans aro granted are put to a minimum of trouble and inconvenience for the repayments are based on the borrowers' ability to pay a greater or less amount. Authority has been obtained for a loan of £52,000 to finance a comprehensive scheme to deal with storrnwater throughout tho borough. At present there are a large number of open drains in the various areas. These" are all to be piped or closed in arid modern drainage provided to dispose of the storrnwater which collects on those streets not already dealt with. Some progress has been made during the past few months, but the council is not pressing on with the work as it considers it most desirable to concentrate on the sewerage and keep up competition between the contractors, thus ensuring that the cost of the completed work* will be kept an low as possible.