NORTHCOTE LOAN PROPOSALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19419, 30 August 1926, Page 6

NORTHCOTE LOAN PROPOSALS.

Sir, —"Anxious Resident's" letter of August 23 bristles with imposing figures, some of which are quite apart from the matter under debate. 'ln reply to his'first statement;— During the last twjo years, in which your correspondent states values have depreciated in North cote, a large number of other suburbs have gone in for concrete .roads, thus attracting many people who might otherwise have come, to Northcote, were it as progressive. This and not any increase in rates, in my opinion, is the reason for the. stagnant state of Northcote at the present .time. He blames the council for doing nothing permanent to the roads. , As everyone knows, the only permanent road' under present-day traffic conditions, is concrete. With regard to the leasehold land complained of, if "Anxious Resident" had 'attended the meeting* called to .discuss the roading proposals, he would .have learned, beside other things, that a large proportion of this leasehold land had been sold to an Australian syndicate which is going to'subdivide., Birkenhead is held up as a shining example. Birkenhead certainly has no concrete - roads, but it has the next best thing, namely, tar or bitumen sealed main roads throughout. Your correspondent states that the loan, if carried, will only tend to increase the depression in this borough, yet -almost immediately goes on to say tliat tho concrete roads would enable property owners adjacent to "subdivide, sell and get out," thus unconsciously admitting that the reads will have exactly the opposite effect from what he previously states they, will. Another letter, bv Mr. W. N. Jacks,'appears. Poor Northcote! If things are as bad as portrayed-by him we are indeed in a bad way. Thank goodness there are a few optimists here who would gladly see outside motorists using our concrete roads, as we of Northcote, who are lucky enough to own a car and are- plueky enough to risk the two miles of pot-holes, broken springs and discomfort, use the glorious concrete roads of Takapuna apd Devonport when we want a nice quiet spin in comfort. One more point. • Tha present value of buildings in' course of erection at Takapuna is over double what it was this time last year, The same thing is happening wherever concrete roads are. Surely evidence of this sort should silence any criticism levelled at the Northcote loan proposals. R.E.M.E,