CITY STREETS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19144, 29 October 1927, Page 14

CITY STREETS.

NEW SCHEME CRITICISED. "The City Engineer (Mr A. E. Galbraith) has recently produced one of the best reading reports that have been made in this Dominion," said Mr W. Machin, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce at the annual conference yesterday. The report, he went on, provided for ian expenditure of £1,137,000. This would mean an increase of £90,000 on the rates to provide a sinking fund and interest on an unimproved value of £9,000,000. It was stated that the expenditure of such an amount would result in the roads being so much improved that there would be a decrease in the cost of maintenance. The speaker was unable to state whether such would be the case or not. The claim was made that it would mean a decrease in the overhead costs on motor-vehicles, which would have a longer life on better roads. "But everyone doesn't run motor-cars," he continued, "and to save money on motor-cars, there is going to be added a burden on the rest of the community." This was the type of plea put forward again and agaiu to increase rates. The effect which stood out in his mind was that the scheme would increase the load on an already overburdened community.