ANNEXATION OH LEGISLATION.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1659, 12 June 1875, Page 3

ANNEXATION OH LEGISLATION.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sir, —I think the Karangahape ratepayers are quite unnecessarily alarming themselves. I do not think it is quite so much annexation to the city that is desired, as it is for legislation to compel the owners and ratepayers to provide drainage and to prevent a continuation of the evils arising from the greed of property owners in laying out narrow streets and blind alleys, totally regardless of any sanatory provision whatsoever. An instance may be seen not many yards from the .Newton school-house, where some houses (!) have been built without any provision for back yards, the closets being in front. These are evils which require stopping. Again, further down the North Road may be seen a lot of narrow streets, laid out for whose benefit 1 The owner's. fhen how about water? Does the sight of rain, and plenty of it, make the suburban residents forget the wants of last summer and the cry for pure water? Are the numerous deaths of children already forgotten ? The statements made at a meeting reported in the Cross are manifestly incorrect. The city is not deeply in debt, the statement that the residents of Newton are taxed one penny in the pound, while the citizens are taxed one shilling and sixpence is also incorrect. Newtonners are taxed one penny in the pound value to sell, which city ratepayers are taxed one shilling and sixpence in the pound annual values to let, so that a house value £400 in Newton would pay £113s 4d, and if its annual value was £30, if annexed to city would only at present be liable for the general rate of one shilling in the pound (or 30s the year,) and if the city were then divided into wards and each district sent representatives to the Council," who would doubtless ask and insist on their ward being lighted, drained, &c. So far from the annexation of these subburban districts being a gain it would be a very serious burden to the city, Beeing they are by a shortsighted economy evading all sanitary requisites, and contenting themselves with simply keeping the roads in order, their pockets are for a time saved, but the day of reckoning has yet to come. Streets that have been drained and lighted in the city have increased the property thereon 50 per cent., and so would all suburban property if it were once entitled to Bhare in rates expended in lighting, drainage, water supply, &c. —Yours, &c, Pbo Bono Publico.