The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1906. "GREATER WANGANUI."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 12002, 20 October 1906, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1906. "GREATER WANGANUI. "

The proposal of the western suburbs to form a town district and the more ambitious and pretentious suggestion to constitute a borough embracing Eaatown and Sedgebrook afford a fitting opportunity for a serious attempt being made to bring about an amalagamation of the suburbs with the borough in a "Greater Wanganui" scheme. There is very general desire on the part of the suburban residents to assist any movement that will enable Waaiganui to take ita rightful place as the fifth city in New Zealand, a position so far not assigned to it by the outside world by reason of the divided interests of the borough and suburbs. Though the suburbanites would be pleased to see the "Great Wanganui" proposal consummated, the majority view the matter from the £ s. d. point of view. Tho moment it is suggested that amalgamation means an increase in rates, even though that increase brings with it compensating advantages in the way of water, drainage, footpaths, and other conveniences which at present they are denied, that moment their "imperialism" oozes out at their finger tips, and the parochial spirit continues to hold sway. It is of little use urging that the subject should be looked at from a broader standpoint, and' that the individual should lose eight of self in the interests of the common good. Human nature is human nature all the world over, and despite all that may, be said to the contrary people will look ' at such •• matters from the pocket point of view. Many of the suburban residents have left the borough .in order to get more breathing space and to avoid the many restrictions which it is neces-sary-to impose in more congested centres of population. Apart from the advantage of lower rates, the subxirbanites enjoy tlie privilege of greater liberty in respect to the keeping of fowls, cows, etc., the regulations in connection with which, though perhaps desirable in some parts of the borough, would prove to them burdensome and irritable. These are

matters that must receive consideration before an amalgamation can be effected, and on a satisfactory settlement of these much will depend. To revert to the larger and more important question of rating. At the present lime tse borough rates the 2s 2d in the pound on the rental value, equivalent to a twopenny rate on the capital value, which latter system i* the basis adopted for rating purposes iv the Wanganui and Waitotara counties. The rates in the Waitotara County arc Ith of a penny, and vary from }d to Id in the various road board districts of tho Wnnganui County, the average being considerably less than half the imposition in tho borough. Naturally, then, the suburbanites are oot particularly anxious to throw in their lot with the borough if amalgamation means the doubling of their rates. It is argued that the suburban residents cannot expect to receive the same advantages as the townspeople unless they are willing to pay an equivalent amount in rates, but a careful study of the position will, we think, demonstrate that such an argument is untenable, at least in respect to several of the 'Suburbs. Wanganui's loan expenditure for public works, irrespective of the gas works loan of w£41,000, and other authorised but unexpended loans runs into .£147,000. The interest on that sum totals no less than .£6780, or £1777 (equivalent to a rate of 5 l-3d) in excess of the £8557 realised from the 2s 2d rate. .£1777 is but a small amount to carry on the work of the borough, which might be in a bad way *ut for the fact that ,£2OOO was last year transferred from the gas works profits, in addition to which .£IOOO was derived from' license 3. J6150 from the Opera House, a like sum from reserves, and a few smaller amounts from other channels. The total sum available for borough purposes is about equal to a rate of Is 6d. In the adjoining suburbs the general rate varies from Id to Id on the capital value (equivalent to 6d and Is on the rental value) an against the borough's 2s 2d. The point is, can the suburbs hope to obtain any improvement on existing conditions without increasing their rates? In some instances they can. Take the case of the proposed Gonville Town District. The residents there are advised that a loan oi .£2OOO would be sufficient to provide them with a good drainage scheme, embracing Alma Road, Gonville Avenue,, and other side streets, while for an expenditure oJ less than .£2OOO several artesian wells could be sunk and a reticulation scheme provided. The interest on a loan of or .£SOOO could be met out of a penny rate (equivalent to a borough rate of Is), and as the district progressed and population increased and the rates aggregated a larger sum other improvements could be effected. Valuation^ would of course rise, but this would eventuate in the natural course of events, whether the district remained a part oi the county or joined the borough. The artesian supply, it must be admitted would not prove so satisfactory as the Okehu, but Aramoho and Sedgebrook have met with a considerable measure of success with their artesian water. At the latter suburb two wells were sunk, a flow with a 30ft rise being obtained, for less than ,£IOO, and each well is capable of supplying 60 connections with an unlimat> ed quantity, for which householders pay jfil per annum. The supply of course can be augumented at any time by additional wells. What then have Gonville and the other western suburbs to gain by joining the borough? An improved water supply and a prospect of footpaths, etc. As these, latter, however, are not urgently required and would not be demanded for some time, it is questionable if the Okehu water is sufficient compensation for a largely increased rate. It is clear, therefore that amalgamation is improbable unless the borough is prepared to act magnanimously, as suggested by the Mayor, and levy a lower rate in the suburbs than obtains in the borough. And this brings us to the crux of the whole question. Why should there not be an amagamation of the whole of the suburbs, including Aramoho, St. John's Hill, Gonville, Castleciiff, Putiki, Durietown, Eastown, and Sedgebrook under a system of wards, each ward having control of a portion of the rates collected therein? A general rate, say, of 6d might bo lev?ed over the whole area for ordinary purposes, under an amalgamation scheme, each ward levying its special rate according to its requirements. This, we confidently believe, would be a satisfactory and simple solution of the "Greater Wanganui" problem. We have referred to the case of Gonville. What applies to that suburb also applies to Aramcho. Drainage there is not a difficult matter. The Waitotara County Foreman some time ago propounded a scheme which he estimated to cost .£I6OO. For a like sum St. John's Hill could be drained, if the borough permitted the sewerage to be carried into the corporation mains, and no difficulties are presented at Sedgebrook or Durietown. The borough has hundreds of thousands of gallons of water running to waste, daily, and suTely it would be a wiser policy to let the suburbanites have the supply at even £1 per annum, (provided the borough was under no expense in the matter of mains or connections, and there was a sufficiency of water) than ask the exhorbit?nt figure of Is 6d per thousand gallons suggested by the Council, and have no response. At the price we suggest the borough would derive a revenue of several hundred pounds per annum, without any worry or expense, and suburbanites would have the satisfaction of securing some benefit fro ma supply which at present is running to waste. We would therefore respectfully suggest to the Mayor end his colleagues on the Council that they should approach the matter from the standpoint we have sug- [ gested : a sixpenny rate for general pur-

poses;, drainage, water reticulation, footpaths, etc., to be provided by special loans in the various wards. On some such basis as this, we believe "Greater Wanganui" would be consummated.