THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13908, 20 May 1909, Page 6

THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

WATEKWOKKS AM) STBEETS CARRIED. HALL AND BUILDING REJECTED. The Borough loan proposals around which so much interest Juts centred for. the past few weeks, and which have formed a subject for not a little discussion both in public and private were finally settled yesterday when a {Kill was taken by which the verdict of the ratepayers was obtained. From the koeti wav in which the projxisals had. been discussed it was expected, and not unnaturally, that the poll would be a. heavy one, but tins was not so. for out of a roll of 1900 ratepavers only a fraction over 600 took the trouble to vote. There were half a dozen polling booths and the voting proceeded very quietly no one seeming to take any very great interest in it. This was probably so, because there was little or no attempt made to influence votes either one way or the other. Ea,ch proposal was voted on -eoarately, a different coloured paper being given -to the- voter for each of the four proposals, and all ho or she had to do was to strike out one of two lines, according to the way they desired to vote. Tho general opinion seemed to he during the day, that only two of the proposals submitted, would he carried, and so it proved to be, those in respect to street improvements and the waterworKs being the ones to meet with a favourable, verdict. When the . result of the poll was announced "by the Town Clerk there were not very many ratepayers present at the Council Chamber. When spoken to by a "Herald" reporter over the telephone after the declaration of the poll, the Mayor explained that he had not been present on account of an attack of lumbago, from which he was suffering. Asked what iie thought of the result, Mr Craigie said he was satisfied with it. The Council had asked for loans totalling £33.0011. and they had been «rante"d authority for £-24,000, • He nad not anticipated that the proposed loan for a town hall would be carried, but he was hopeful the one for municipal offices would have been sanctioned, as it was really required. Still he recognised that the matter was one for the" ratepayers to decide, and he was quite content to abide by their decision. .-■..-, c .The following tables give details of the voting. The two sets of figures -"iven for the George street booth are accounted for by the fact that this was a double booth : Town Hall, £sooo— Agnst. Inf. George Street 58 126 8 George. Street 64 . 9o \> Bank Street 8 '29 1 Trafalgar Street .. 12 18 2 Cullmann Street . 26 43 6 Brown Street ....... 16 28 2 High Street 15 40 Totals 199 37:; 28 Municipal Buildings. £4ooo— Agnst. Int. George Street 82. 106 6 George Street 79 81 8 Bank Street 10 28 0 Trafalgar Street .. 20 11 1 Cullmann Street .. 28 43 4 Brown Street 16 2/ 3 High Street 20 3o /> " Totals 255 331 22 Streets, £6ooo— For. Agnst. Inf. George Street 125 61 8 George Street 103 59 6 Bank Street 14 22 2 Trafalgar Street .. 24 8 0 Cullmann Street . '4O 33 2 Brown Street ....... 27 J.) '■) High Street 30 I) Totals 358 232 J i Waterworks, £lß,ooo Agnst. J f. George Street ..... 136 49 '■) George Street 12:) 33 (> Bank Street .-. 21 13 L Trafalgar Street .. 20 6*o Cullmann Street .. 41 31 3 Brown Street 33 13 0 High Street ....... 36 19 '■) Totals 4.'.) If. I 1)