Borough Loans.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 82, 28 July 1914, Page 3

Borough Loans.

PROPOSAL TURNED DOWN.

THE MAYOR’S “LOME HAND.”

A special meeting; of the Borough Council was held last night for the

purpose ot considering- ft motion

the .Mayor regarding loans, there being present the -Mayor (Mr W. 1*• Kitacwood), and Crs. .1. B. Richards, -I. W. Boon, J, H. Thompson, T, Reader, .4. Masters, J. Fredric, R. McK. S!orison, and N. J. King. WATER AXI) DRAINAGE—£I(S,OOO. The Mayor - ' moved that a loan ot £16,000 be raised, £12,000 ofr drainage and £4.000 for water supply. Water and drainage he placed iirst in importance. Next came street improvements. But the ratepayers did not seem to want to have a hig loan, and lie thought they would agree to the loan he proposed. The total indebtedness of the Borough was only £42,000, and the capital value was approximately £500,000, so it could nob be said that the town was 'overburdened. Though the town was progressive to a certain degree, it had not progressed quite in keeping with the progress of the district; and for the volume ot business the Borough should bs moreimproved. The drainage loan would deal with 500 houses, out of 600 in the Borough. Those who were now enjoying the drainage should vote for the loan—they should not act the dog in die manger. Those who would get the drainage had ,been for years paying a drainage rate without a murmur. ’The area proposed to be dealt with was from Swansea Road to Hamlet Street and Pembroke Road, to Celia Street. It could be claimed that the air of Stratford was very pure, the town being so elevated; but all the same if the drainage was not efficient epidemics would break out despite the purity of the air. The proposed loan for water service would allow lor the reticulation of the whole Borough, and for filtration and settling tanks.

CART BEFORE THE HORSE. Cr. Freclric seconded pro forma. He thought it was putting the cart before the horse to allow for further reticulation. There was not sufficient water for the present reticulation. What honld be done first was to arrange for a further pipe line from the head works. He did not think there was a demand for further reticulation. As to drainage, he could not support any partial scheme. Cr, Boon thought the loan did not go far enough. There should have been included £SOOO for kerbing and channelling and £OOOO for a further pipe line. Kerbing was being done now out of revenue. If money were raised by loan about' £3OO now spent annually on kerbing would he set free for other work. It would he necessary to raise a Iqap. of about £25.000. It would not he right to horri.v money for water rOfcicnlation and hate" on have to get a further ’oan to make a new pipe-line. THE ELECTRIC LIGHT. Cr. Morison opposed the motim. ile agreed with Cr. Fredric that the proposal put the cart before the horse It was possible that within twelve months it would be necessary to borrow a good amount to,purchase the electric lighting plant. In any loan theiu

•should bo £IO,OOO for street improvements, which he thought were next

in importance to water supply. Cr. Richards Said the exphtioiioo of the last loan proposal should deter the putting before ratepayers of a further proposal. The drainage proposal was in respect- of only a sixth part of the area of the Borough. If this further section of drainage was done, it would he still harder for a subsequent area to get drainage, assuming that those who got the drainage would not vote for a loan to give others drainage. Those who already had the drainage certainly should vote for further extensions, but he was afraid that human nature was not yet perfect enough for that—self-interest was still very strong. He agreed with Cr. Mori- ; on that the most important matter before the Borough now was the lighting question. After that came street improvements. The town needed a good deal of smartening up and he thought ratepayers would agree* to a small loan for this purpose.

“IMPROVE THE STREETS.” Or. Masters opposed the motion, because he could not agree to the ratepayers’ money being squandered on taking-a poll. The drainage and water services should not bo done piecemeal. Ifc was generally admitted that the pipe-lino should be duplicated. When the drainage was taken in hand there should be a big loan. Even when the proposed loan was expended there would he those who would not have drainage and they could not he expected to vote for the loan. Money was, wanted for street improvements. WMlo the Council had been doing kerbing out of revenue the streets had been going to the dogs. The streets wore the Council’s lirst care. There should be a loan of £12,000 for streets say £BOOO for the streets and £-1000 for kerbing.

Or. 'I bompson opposed the motion on the ground that it was not comprehensive enough. Outside the proposed drainage area there was a good deal of population and people were every year moving out further from the centre of the town. The Mayor had said that the ratepayers would not agree to a big loan, but just because the lasi proposal was defeated this did not follow. His opinion was that on the last occasion the Council had not properly approached the ratepayers. Street improvements were tk° most important.

There were streets which had not been formed and streets which had no footpaths. .It was. necessary to make practically a new street in Broadway central, and the main streets leading into the Borough— Regan Street, Broadway north and south, and Celia Street —should also be improved. Cr. Reader said lie would not support tlm motion. Tie thought more water pressure should be procured before further reticulation was done. THIBTY OR FORTY THOI SA.VI). Cr. King said that the meeting of ratepayers in the loan Hall had been decidedly against the Mayor s proposal. Drainage was absolutely necessary, and there were promises go the town now which should not be allowed to remain as they were. Any loan raised should be for £30,000 to £40,000. He thought that the ratepayers would not sanction a loan for water and drainage. Ho could not support a loan unless a ■ comprehensive scheme was brought down, A. sum of £2OOO was needed for Broadway central. The Mayor rose in reply. He opened by stating that every Councillor had advocated a larger loan than ire did. Several Councillors denied this. CR. M ORISON OFFENDED. The Mayor said the last big loan had been turned down, although it was submitted in sections. Cr. Morison That is why it was turned down. The Mayor: You say so because yon 1 favored the bridge. Crs. Morisou and King objected to the remark. The Mayor, after the heat subsided, said it was not possible to do the. whole of the work in a Borough all at once—» it was the usual course to do the work gradually from the centre towards the outside of the Borough. The Mayor then criticised previous actions of the Councillors. At this poiirfc Cr. Morisou rose to his feet and said: “You are becoming abusive to Councillors and 1 move that the question be now put.” The Mayor) 1 will finish my reply. Cr. King said Cr. Morisoirs motion was in order. The Mayor started to resume his remarks. Cr. Morisou: Do you intend to put my motion? The Mayor: Resume your seat! Cr. Morisou: I will do so under protest. The Mayor again resumed his remarks, when Cr. Masters asked that the motion he put, the Mayor again

refusing. Cr. -Morison : If you don’t put it we should leave our scats. CONDITION OF THE STREETS. ' The Mayor said the streets were not going to the dogs. They were in better order thart ever before, and next year they would he still hotter. L the whole ol the streets oi the Boiough wore to be put in order it would be necessary to raise such a large loan that the ratepayers would not sanction it. Everybody knew that some of the streets were not in good order, hut these were in the outer parts of the Borough.

The Mayor here had a rather warm passage with Cr. Thompson, who objected to the Mayor questioning his knowledge on the condition of the Borough’s streets.

Concluding, the Mayor said he could

soo that the Council would not pars his motion, hut he hoped that the Council would come forward with some loan proposal which would he acceptable to the. ratepayers.

The Mayor’s motion was lost on the voices.