THE ST ALBANS LOAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5769, 13 January 1897, Page 4

THE ST ALBANS LOAN.

A meeting of ratepayers of St Albans was held last evening in the Merivale schoolroom to consider the Borough Council's proposal to borrow J. 22,500 for carrying out certain works. There was a good attendance. The chair was occupied by the Mayor (Mr F. Waymouth), and on the platform were Councillors Hill, Pentenev, Charlewood, Morgan, Keig and Money, and the Town Clerk (Bir W. F. Beatson). The Mayor said that the ratepayers would agree with him as to the necessity, in the more closely populated portions of the borough, for complete concrete channelling and asphalt footpaths. When the work was done there would be no open ditches and grass footpaths, and a great saving of expenditure would be effected, as the necessity for continually cleaning the ditches and chipping the footpaths would not then exist. He then described the area in which the loan would be expended. The Town Clerk then read the details of the scheme, from which it was shown that it was proposed to borrow the sum of .£22,500, for a period of twenty years without sinking fund. It was anticipated that the amount could be obtained at 4 per cent, and it was proposed that a rate of three-eighths of a penny in the £ should be levied for the purpose of securing the interest over the area benefited. The works proposed to be carried out were *. — Regrading and forming roads, asphalting footpaths, kerbing and channelling footpaths, iron culverts for crossings to roads, filling, in mill-race and drain on North Belt, wells and sumps for fire prevention and watering purposes, and other works incidental to these. The estimate of works proposed to be carried out under the loan was as follows : —Regrading roads <£1000, asphalting ,£8373, channelling and kerbing .£11,350, iron culverts .£2OO, surveying <£500, deep wells .£IOO, filling in mill-race .£l5O, broken metal .£1750, bindings .£125, North Belt drain .£75, forming Packe's Road ,£7OO, piping drains .£250, channelling on roads with one foothpath .£1267, contingencies .£1660 ; total -622,500. The Chairman said that the carrying out of these works would much improve the health of the borough. In addition, when the deep wells were sunk, the watering which they would be enabled to do, would lessen the cost of maintenance of roads, and by having a good water supply available the fire insurance premiums would be reduced. Mr E. Green said he did not think the scheme reflected any credit on the Borough Council. He objected to several items in the scheme, such as the cost of regrading the roads. He thought the cost of filling in the Carlton Mill race should be borne by the owners of property there. The sum of .£SOO was set down for surveying, and he asked why the borough surveyor could not do the worki He strongly objected to the cost set down for forming Packe's Road, and also for the North Belt drain. The property-owners in the latter locality should pay the cost. Some provision ought to have been Snade for paying off the present overdraft. He would also like to know what the Bill cost the borough. The Chairman, in reply, said that before the concrete channelling could be gone on with*, the roads must be properly regraded. The work of .filling in the Carlton millface was absolutely necessary. With "regard to the purveying, the ordinary work of the.borougji must be gone on with*, and the Clerk could not do that and this Special surveying as well. Packe's Road was a public road, and must.be formed by the Council. The Bill cost .£2O. In reply to Mr Chaplin, the Mayor said the incidence of voting was not altered. Of the number voting, three-fifths must be in favour of the proposal. Mr Bull said he did not agree with Mr Green. He thought that the Council deserved the highest credit for the scheme. A larger sum might have been put down for deep wells. Mr Chaplin said he did not think the Council had given the ratepayers sufficient information. Mr G. Simpson spoke in favour of the scheme, and several other ratepayers stated their views. Mr Capper said the residents in the eastern portion of the borough would like an assurance that something would be done to improve Edgeware Road drain, and also that the Council would widen Crescent Road from the Wesleyan Church to Edgeware Road. The Mayor said that the Edgeware Road drain, with the exception of a small portion, was under the jurisdiction of the Drainage Board, and the Council could not touch it. The ratepayers might rest assured that the Council would do all in its power to move the Drainage Board. With regard to the widening of roads, the Council had passed a resolution that where ratepayers were willing to give the necessary land they would widen roads, but they would not buy land or take it under the Public Works Act. As there was no further discussion, the Mayor announced that the poll with regard to the loan would be taken on Tuesday, Jan. 26. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting. : ,