Marton Borough Affairs.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8830, 5 June 1907, Page 3

Marton Borough Affairs.

SIR. —Mr Harris is to bo thanked for Iris lettet to you of the 30th ult, ( though I could have wished his manner had been more courteous) in which lie draws attention to the increase in the gcueral rate of the borough and to tho piositiou of those outside the borottgli boundaries who wish to enjoy the prrivileges of the borough without contributing to tho rates. In the first pjlaco tho members of the present Council would have been delighted had they seen their way to reduce tho rates from their last year’s assessment of 8s 2d in tho £. The late Council left a legacy to the pxreseut one of extraordinary - expenditure to bo provided for of over £BOO, made up as follows :—Kerbing and channelling £2OO, automatic gas lighter _nd street lamps £O9, extension of mains £2OO, water cart £GO, new gas pliant ordered from England say £2OO, for which provision was made oxcopit overdraft. With the latter at £3OOO it did not seem possible until a loan was authorised to make any reduction. The "special rate of Is 7d covering the interest on the loans shows an annual balance, after payment of £l2B a year for the sinking fund, of £OO, and a credit at present of £319 8s (id, out of which only the sinking fund payment of the current year is required. Hence it seemed advisable to take Cd from the spiecial rate and use it for general purposes. This is tiio apparent increase referred to by Mr Harris. If a gas loan is raised £650 of which can be used to reduce overdraft, and a general loan for street improvements obtained so that future ‘ 1 permanent improvement” expenditure has not to bs met by the general rate, there is no doubt that in the future this rate can be very much reduced. This being so I do not think that the rates to he collected in that part of the county proposed to be asked to join the borough will bo any more than the amount at present levied on them, and of course they would not be asked to contribute to the old spxecial loan rate of the original borough. The profit made by the gas works is at present insufficient to pay for extensions and interest as well, a great deal of money is still being spent on mains and meters, in other words added to the gas works capital account; therefore it is not very pirofitabse to extend to private houses unless they are situated on streets already provided with mains.’ The storage capacity at tho works is not at pirescnt sufficient for tho increased quantity of gas required by settlers at the Junction, hence the Council had reluctantly to make a rule not to extend outside the borougli more than already has been done. Should the settlers at the Junction decide to come into the borough the situation would be altered as the increased revenue in rates, licenses, etc., will in some degree compiensatc for the additional eapntal expieuded in tho -extensions required. I believe the main would not have been extended to the station but for the project thought to be entertained by the Department to iustal some gas plant of their own, hence the somewhat premature expenditure incurred. That this will he profitable eventually I have no doubt, but having gone so far in anticipation ox the future I do not think the mere sale of gas to private houses at the Junction, scattered as they are, will prove sufficiently remunerative when the extent of the mains required for the suppily is considered. I hopio the residents concerned will look at the matter in an unimpassioned and a businesslike way and not be moved by any arguments appealing to pnqun or sentiment, as they can see for themselves that until other sources of income are secured to the borough, besides the small profit on the actual sale of gas, it will not pay for tho ratepayers of Marton to extend their mains all over the Junction as asked for. If they elect to come into the borough fold I think they may all rely on having fair representation on the Council and fair treatment, and it will undoubtedly make in many ways for their own profit and the gcueral advancement of the pirospects of our town and district to have the county eapntal with a good and sufficient income tol enable it to keep well in the van of tho forward movement of our times.—l am, Sir, yours faithfully, S. SHERMAN, Mayor. Marton, June 3rd, 1007.