MUNICIPAL LOAN.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1281, 15 August 1922, Page 5

MUNICIPAL LOAN.

PROPOSAL TO BE GONE ON WITH.

EFFECT OF RATING .PETITION

With regard to the Te Awamutu Borough Council’s instructions to draw up the necessary notice of poll for the Fire Brigade loan, Messrs Swarbrick and B'warbrick (solicitors) notified the Council at its meeting last night that it such things as uniformplijols, etc., must 'be provided at of revenue, but engines, machinery, forms, tools,, etc., .must be provided out of loan money. They had drawn up the necessary notice of intention to raise a loan of £25,000 for street purposes. notice of poll, voting papers, The Mayor said he presumed that the Council would have to go for a loan for engines, machinery, and buildings only. Cr Spinley said he would have to oppose going on with the loan proposal for streets till the petition asking for .the inauguration of rating on unimproved values was .first dealt with. The Mayor said that would mean postponing further action until November. . Cr Clark said it would be risking going on with the loan proposal till the petition was dealt with, as they might fall between two stools." It. was explained that if a poll on the rating question was taken, another poll could not be held till three yeais had elapsed. Cr Downes thought they would be between two fires even if they did proceed with the loan poll, as some would not vote for it til-1 the petition was dealt with. Then, if the poll was successful, others would oppose the loan. The Mayor said that if rating on unimproved values were carried a new valuation would have to ibe made, and tha't would tie up matters for perhaps twelve months. Cr Spinley moved, and Cr By grave seconded, that the loan proposal be deferred till the rating petition is disposed of. Cr Downes could see no reason why they should not go on with the loan proposal and stand by the result of the poll. The motion put them in a very invidious position. They would have no time after the rating poll as they would be a dying CounciL Cr Oliphant concurred and favoured going on with the loan proposal, which was for the betterment of the borough. He favoured putting the proposal before the ratepayers and letting them decide the matter. If R were “turned down” they could not grant the numerous requests for road improvement. He favoured putting the matter before the ratepayers; the suggested change in rates affected individual pockets; the iCouncil should act for the good of the whole town. He would certainly oppose going to the ratepayers with a loan proposal in January or February, when they ('the Council) went out of office in April. fj in reply to Cr Clark, the town clerk sajm the cost of a poll would be about £3O. „ .. Cr Jeffery said 'that as a Council they should be guided only by the best interests of the whole borough, not by individual cases. Cr Spinley said he originally supported the loan, but at present they could not go to the ratepayers and tell them what it would cost, as the rating system might be altered. Till, they -could give the ratepayers definite information he would not go before them with a loan proposal, which he thought necessary for the welfare of the borough. 'He thought they should get the rating petition disposed of first. , , Cr Peate supported Cr Spinley s ideas. The loan would need full explanation to the ratepayers, and with the rating issue undecided they could not give any definite information- as to what it would cost the individual. Cr Oliphant added that unless the loan issue was put now it would be impossible for the present Council to put it later, as, if a. change in rating were decided upon, they could give no more definite information then than now. _ , Cr Downes said Cr Spinley assumed that a change in rating would .be decided upon. 'They should disregard such assumptions and deal with the loan proposal on the present basis of rating. , ~ Cr Jeffery agreed. They should deal with the loan proposal as they i now found things. The -Mayor said that when the loan was originally mooted -there was no hint of a possibility of change in the system of rating, it was unfortunate that the position had occurred, but still the whole proposition could be explained to the ratepayers. They knew that money was available now; it might not be later. Again, it was only an assumption that rating on unimproved values would be carried. Alt the worst the proposal could only be “ turned down.” Again, the season was at hand when they could undertake the work, and for that reason he would oppose any further delay. The motion was put and declared lost. Crs Spinley, ißygrave, Peate, and North voting for it.

The necessary motion to take steps to submit the loan proposal to the ratepayers was then carried. Cr Spinley expressed his regret at the decision, and mentioned that it might entail him resigning the chairmanship of the works committee. Or Jeffery thought Cr Spinley entirely wrong. 'No councillor should take umbrage at a decision by the majority. t , Cr Oliphant agreed. No individual councillor should be button-ho'led, as there was a well-defined way of approaching 'the Council. The Mayor concurred, and hoped Cr Spiniev would take time to consider the matter, and not -resign as chairmgm of the works committee, in which capacity he had rendered valuable work.