MARKED PROGRESS MADE IN RICCARTON BOROUGH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18452, 1 May 1928, Page 11

MARKED PROGRESS MADE IN RICCARTON BOROUGH.

According to the annual report submitted at last evening’s meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council, there were a number of outstanding features. The report dealt fully with the advance made both on the administrative and working sides, and the Town Clerk, Mr L. Willett. Austin, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The biennial election had cost approximately £l2O. Each of the 6220 valid votes cast had cost 4.62 d, an extremely high figure, which was chiefly due to the poor interest taken in the election. Just after the council took office unemployment began to make itself felt. The council had found employment for eight men, one of whom was very seriously hurt in a collision between the council’s truck and a tramcar. The injured man was still on sick pay. A revaluation of the borough was made during the year, and seve.al anomalies in the roll were removed. Sharp rises in the valuation were the order in most cases, which was not to be wondered at, as the previous valuation had been taken nine years back. The figures were: 1918—Capital value, £574,339; unimproved value, £196,935. 1928 —£1,366,103 and £398,653. The whole of the borough by-laws were under review and would be placed before the council in final draft at an early date. Following are the figures showing the building permits issued and their value over the past twelve months:— Private dwellings in wood, 66, value £27,676; private dwellings in other materials, 6, £185; business premises in wood 1. £1046; business premises in other materials 14, £6430: other build ings in wood 2, £1902; other buildings in other materials 1, £350. A total of ninety buildings were erected at a cost of £37,589.