MUNICIPAL WORKS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12376, 9 February 1911, Page 2

MUNICIPAL WORKS.

ANOfIHEIt LOAN. SUGGESTED. PROBLEM FOR. THE' NEXT COUNCIL "The possible amount over and above the present loan that will be requirea to carry out the proposed municipal works m their entirety, ' was the problem Cr. Collins, at an. early hour this morning, asked .should be referred to the Borough Council's finance committee to ascertain. In doing so he explained that at the present time the Council was quite unaware of. T the total cost the woric undertaken would amount to. He pointed out that the loan proposals were un-der-estimated. Regarding the -drainage Mr Mastayer had • estimated that thetown could not be drained under £ICO,---000, and councillors . Ayould, he thought, agree with him that the sewerage would cost nearer £85^,000 than thb- £60,500 they had provided for the work. * "The electric lighting scheme, for which •£16,432 was provided, would on the lowest estimate, cost £17,000. As regards the tramway they had provided £25,000. This would be sufficient only for the cost of laying down the permanent way. The m-obable cost of this work would be £70,000. They all knew the roads were underestimated ; £35,C00 was. provided; but it would cost £60,000 to £70,000. Thid would make a total deficit of £107,000 upon the £175,000 loan. Upon the cost of the work there would be a probable shortage of at least £70.000 or £80,000. He considered the position should be considered! * They should consider the raising of a further loan before a portion of the ratepayers had been provided with the benefits of the loan works. Ci\ Sheridan, m supporting the motion, declared that he had always considered the work had been underestimated. Personally he believed there wero luxuries they could do without. The tramway, he thought, was going to be a huge white elephant. Proceeding, he pointed out that to raise the £175,000 it had cost 'them £6500. • They; 1 were consequently faced with the fact that they were £6500 short. The Mayor, he said, to "gull" the ratepayers had informed them that there was going to . be a saving m interest of £30,C00. Supposing the Mayor's statement was perfectly true, he contended the most the Mayor had saved the Borough wa^. upon his own figures, only £1000. When they had a man m charge of the Borough who would make such mistakes as this, it was the duty of the finance cotrmittee to investigate' the position. 1 hey were faced with the problem that* they had two bridges to rebuild^ which nu-jht cost £10,000 or £30,000. c . There -wav thus, an undeniable shortage of at leas. 1 . £15,000 or £16,030. Before they went on and allowed the money to be- spent m this shocking manner they should infci-m the public of the position. The loin proposals were 'most crude and immature. Cr. Cjavtori said he had much sympathy with the motion, but he considered it was still premature. The loan proposals had been forced upon the Council; every item had been opposed on the ground that it was under-estimated. This was' now proved. He had been laughed at for stating that th****. bridges would have to be rebv.ilt. When loan proposals are placed before the ratepayers they should be put forward fairly, honestly, and squarely. He had never opposed the loan proposals. He hoped the Mayor would be returned to the Mayoral chair, so that he would get the benefit of those figure he had so glibly forced down their throats. He considered the completion of the loan works would cost another £175,000. He was coming to the conviction that the sewerage sciieme when completed' would not be satisfactory. If they could carry out the electric lighting scheme on the estimate they would accomplish a feat that had never been done anywhere m Australasia. Regarding road works - Mr Marchant had admitted that the shingle streets woalttl not last more than 10 years. Not one proposal would be carried out within the estimate. The Mayor remarked that the phase "dying hours" properly, applied to the Council. There was not sufficient time remaining for the Council to initiate tlie remaining wor^j. ■ The motion should be left to the new Council. VI assure you if it^is t,he same Coupcil, it will not be the same ihiyor," he added. "I would not go on with you.!' Continuing, the Mayor said there avas dissatisfaction at present with the way the work was being carried out, and the time was inopportune for the motion. Who was responsible was clear to his mind, and that was their Engineer. If they wanted a proof they, had that m the information he had brought up from Christchurch. He maintained that tf they got on a proper basis, with propeji supervision, or contracting, they would, with all their losses from the bad start, still be able to get through for the original price. Proceeding, the Mayoi* condemned the supervision, and described the present position as "a muddling mess." For this he had been censured. He guaranteed that had he had a Council of his own picking he would have had tho works completed for the estimated cost. Cr. Sheridan remarked that the Mayor had quarrelled with every Council he hod had. ,' Further interjections followed, Cr. Sheridan remarking that the Mayor could not pass the 6th Standard m arithmetic. ! The Mayor admitted that the sewerage would not be completed; for .the estimate under the present supervision. Refarding the electric light scheme, \\\c layor pointed out they had bought all the material/ .and had £40C0 over, o : .it of which they had to erect the building. They would have £3000 to the good, '{"hey htid made a good start on this work. ".'. Councillors t Thanks to the Borough Engineer. '. .. Tlie Mayor pointed out that the Engineer bad .wanted to adopt steam. Councillor-: He recommended DiescJ cni(ine3. The Mayor: I did not* see that until I' read hit* report m London. Councillors! 'He recommended* Diesel engines -before you ever mentioned them,* The Mayor added that they had matic a good start with the tramway. Tht estimate was £2750 per mile, and after -buying mils and* "dogs" they had £1400 a mile foi 1 * labor and sleepers. Ro confidently asserted that they were m a good pneition with the trams.' Cr. Col-' Jins, he pointed - out, had not explained that they had spent £12,500 on the' tramway out of the road loan/ and when' '(ipu'i^ill6rs- rpbbad tho. jotrn- at this amount he would not be" surprised if tho money, was short. The £6500' cost of raising the loan," he pointed out, wr.'s nothing etwnpared to the £14,4*75 un>. allocated v-pon Contingencies m sewerage alone. ..... , ' ' Cr. Collins : Do you believe the sewerage work could he carried out for the original amount? .•.-..<..■•■■■ The Mayor •. Yes, plus the amount yo i have lost. Or. Collins : And if i". is not carried opt on "the estimate? The Mayor ; The blame will lie on' your shoulders. /Ihere was, he declareb*. an anxiety on the part of some councillors to make the loan proposals. as expensive as possible,' m the hope that the blame would recoil on his (the Mayor's) head. ' .7} Cr. Dayton said he sfiw how clearly what tho Mayor's "game" was. The road loan had been foisted upon th(e ISngloeer, although that man would not acknowledge they were his. The Mayor, had' now discovered ther^e was not a chance of completing' the work for tho r estimate, and ha was now endeavoring to .shoulder tho blame on ip the Borough Engineer. Mr Marchrtnt had admitted to the Council his septfc tank was underestimated ', whilst they had found that the 'material-, alone on his outfall whs actually £750 m excess o,f the money -provided for this, Hem. When aisked where they had gone the consulting Engineer had been unable tn point out a single point, ekeept that they might use a, little less timber. He felt that there was 6nly one course)- and 'that van to get an independent estimate. The Mayor would get his first bump when the tenders came m. Mr Marchant had alterfed-.his .reservoir^ and.it would consrl.qijehtly!,,cost 'more, tt wftl evident' shev j would not liaVe' enough, to qemojete ! -^he sewerage, and they wo'ujd have' to /ace

the question of raising another loan to complete this work. He would vote to block the use of the septic tank until they had completed the work, as every ratepayer served would Vote against a further loan. They only had one honest course before them. They wanted more money for roads and for waterworks. They wanted an estimate, to prove that the Mayor was throwing dust m the eyes of ratepayers. Cr. Jackson intimated that he would vote against the motion, as he considered it was too early. Cr. Hepburn declared that he was also going' to vote against the motion, remarking that' months ago he had declared they would be £100,000 short. Cr. Pettie declared that Cr. Hepburn's objections were only' raised when the septic tank was nearly c6mpleted. He would vote against th& resolution, as he thought little or no good would be accomplished. It was a matter for. a. new Council. •'■'■■•*. Cr. Maynard took a similar view, remarking that ratepayers would not hear of a sewer loan until, tho first -was spent. Cr. Hepburn affirmed that he had raised his objection to the work. Cr. Collins, who replied at '2 a.m.,' emphasised that if it was proved the loan proposals* were under-estimated the Mayor "'•would, say it whs due' to mismanagement and the mal-supervision of the Engineer. The Mayor, if returned, would come 1 back pledged to dismiss the Engineer. He (Cr Collins) Avould fight tooth and nail to prevent the linking up of* the sewerage of tho town until Whataupoko and Kaiti was completed. Mr Marcnant's scheme was inadequate, and the present policy was suicidal. The resolution wa« lost, being supported, by Cr. Collins, Darton,-andSheri-dan. , Cr| Collins then moved that no new work?' be initiated (except sewerage, stoect, and electric light) until the Council is empowered to raise a further loan. Cr. Sheridan seconded the resolution, as he was anxious that the sewerage should be carried out m its entirety. Gr.'. Clayton said- the. ratepayers had voted for the proposals, and they should he allowed to pay for them. Or. Darton supported the resolution. The voting wa« the same as on the previous resolution, the motion being lost. ' ' -- Cr. Collins moved that the* finance committee be requested to submit a detailed ;■ statement, showing the amount of loan moneys expended to date, with full particulars. > , The Mayor said the amount was £35,434. * v -•-- --1 The. resolution was carried.