STREETS LOAN CARRIED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18895, 18 December 1924, Page 12

STREETS LOAN CARRIED.

MAJORITY OF 504 .VOTES.

SMALL POLL RECORDED.

WORK STARTS IN NEW YEAR.

STATEMENT BY THE MAYOf:.

The proposal to raise £710,000 for street improvement works in the city was carried yesterday by a majority of 504 votes.

The feature of tho poll was the relatively small number of ratepayers who took sufficient interest in tho affairs of tho city to record their votes. Altogether 2247 votes were polled, thoso for the proposals totalling 1372, while thoro were 868 against, and seven informal "votes.

It was seen early in tho day that the poll was going to bo a light one, not moro than a dozen ratepayers visiting many of tho polling places up to noon. The position was somowhat better in the afternoon, but the greatest activity, particularly in tho suburbs, was between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., when tho voters were homeward bound. Many ratepayers recorded their votes at the Town Hall and ( hamber of Commerce during tho luncheon hours, from noon to 2 p.m., and this in some measuro accounted for the small totals registered at tho polling places in tho outer suburbs.

The roll contained over 17,000 names, so that the total of 2247 votes recorded must be regarded as singularly light in view of tho importance of the proposals. Under tlio Act tho returning offk sr is required to provide a polling place for every 2000 ratepayers on the roll, so that nino polling places would have been sufficient. However, 22 were available, so that ratepayers could not complain of the lack of facilities. Details of the Polling. Although tho poll was small, majorities for the proposals were recorded at 17 of tho 22 booths, Tho largest majority against tho proposals was recorded at the* Church of Christ, Ponsonby Road, whore tho voting was 37 for and 73 against. The other adverse votes were: Francis Street Hall, Grey Lynn, 41—54; St. Colurnba Hall, Great North Road, 36 «2; Green Lane, 10-15; and Franklin Road, 14-18. Details of the voting are a,s follows, the slight disparity in tho totals being accounted for bv the fact that there were seven invalid votes recorded:— For. Agst. Total. Town Hall . . .. 240 127 367 Ch. of Commerce . . 256 91 347 Leys Institute .. 87 71 160 Renuiera Depot . . 93 39 132 Epsom Library 75 34 100 Ch. of Christ, Pon. . 37 73 111 Newton West . . 53 45 100 Francis St. . . , 41 54 95 Parnell Meth. . . 43 40 83 Do Lucca's Store . . 66 12 78 St. Columba 36 42 78 St. Mark's . . . . 36 31 67 St. David's ... 47 16 64 Native School (Par.) 40 24 64 East Street . . 39 24 63 Eden Terrace . . 31 31 62 Pt. Chevalier . . 42 17 59 Bayfield . . . . 35 23 59 St. James' . . , . 33 26 59 St. Benedict's . . 18 15 33 Franklin Road . . 14 18 32 Green Lano ... 10 15 25 1372 868 2247 Majority for the proposals, 504. The Mayor, Sir James Gunson, and members of the. City Council were handed tho result of the poll by the returning officer, Mr. P. F. Notley, immediately on completion of the total. Disappointing Aspects o! Voting. Commenting on tho outcome, the M avor said that, while the result could b< taken as an endorsement of tho council's street improvement proposals, and must be deemed satisfactory from that point of view, yet there was reason for great disappointment at the relative smallness of the poll. This was a further indication of the great apathy of ratepayers on occasions when important financial proposals were involved. In view of all tho circumstances, tho council had hoped to receive a very much more substantial endorsement of its policy. Tho administration could not effectively and progressively carry on without adequate backing from tho ratepayers. Another disappointing featuro, added Sir James, was tho fact that in some parts of the city where, since amalgamation, large sums had already been expended and a tremendous amount of work done, placing practically all the streets in good order, the vote at important booths was against the, proposals. To his mind this indicated a very selfish attitude. These observations, he pointed out, were made merely on tho conditions as shown in the returns.

At the same time, the result would enable the council to proceed steadily with tho programme of streets works which would extend over a period of five years. At tho end of that time, providing there was no interruption to the policy and succeeding administrations received the necessary support, the streets over the whole of the city area as yet unformed will have been brought to an up-to-date standard. The council would immediately rearrange the whole programme of street work with a view to making a commencement early in tho New Year upon tho more pressing works in each district. Comparison With Other Polls. The Mayor then made an interesting comparison between yesterday's poll and those held last year. He mentioned that the total involved, £710,000, was by a coincidence tho same as that in November o- Inst year. On that occasion tho loans v,v; e: Tramways, £280,000: waterworks, £7)00,000; drainage, £120,0C0; and quarry plant. £10.000. The votes recorded totalled 1620, so that vest onlay's result was a slight improvement, but oven 2247 votes was disappointing. A much better result was noted at the poll in April, 1923, when proposals totalling . £296,000 were approved. The issues on that occasion were : Libraries, £16,000 j tiamwajs, £70,000; Zoological Gardens, £20,000; and' streets, £190.000. A total of 6352 votes was recorded, but at that poll there was the incentive provided by the biennial municipal elect ions. There was little satisfaction to be told, as had been done repeatedly, that the abstention of tho majority of ratepayers from voting could be taken as confidence in tho administration. The confidence that was wanted was an active interest in the affairs of tho city and the consequent support of the ratepayers. Passive support, leaving the job to the other man, was anything but helpful-