THE CITY POLL.
, RESULT OF VOTING. WADESTOWN PROPOSALS CARRIED. OTHER ISSUES REJECTED. By their vote ■ yesterday, .. citizens of ..- . Greater Wellington, rejected .70 per cent, of iv-.:- -: tho loan? v the City. Council. Tho ?.'■X-i;;h amounts .which'-it..J>,;is; proposed to borrow: . . . . for various works aggregated £203,400, and ..only; two-items, woro .passed at .the poll; which, means-that tho loan authorised docs not.oxceed £62,650. . -"In tho present state, of the. money ■,-market,"; said a councillor; "it was insane of them, to bring forward . these proposals." SJ % ; Whatever may- havo been- tho impelling cause tho fact remains that ratepayers .'havo put : a determined pen through tho whole of the proposals - whicV affect tno city proper,, and ' only . votcrs . interested in tho suburbs of .' . Wadestown , ruid Northland, havo. sanctioned r expenditure on improvements. ■ THE WADESTOWN LOANS. -" :; - : . ■; Tils'- two special' i loans which have been authorised aro . £40,100 - for tho Wadestown • : ' tramway and £22,550 for a water- supply'to ,;-Wadestown and Northland, or 30.06 of tho total proposals. ... . Itegarding tho former item, the amount is • ; to bo divided as follows: — '- ■'. -: - £ .-: . ' Construction of- tramway to •. .;- ."Wadestown, and interestand ['J.-, charges for first year ... ' 27,500 . Resumption of properties, etc., -.- Thoindon, for, approach:; to - . i. Wadestown tram jay-... .'...'' 12,000 Tho district for tho .benefit of . which tho . '" endertakihg will.bo.carried out is now part :• ■s. ■ : : : .of. tho city of .Wellington. The council -pro-. ;• poses to pledge.a ; special-rate or fourperice . " in the pound on the rateable.value.(en the. basis of tho unimproved . ; .;vp,lue) ; of.! all--irate-~ Vr-'i-iU : 'that ? par£;of'the bityVof ' . Wolluigton formerly known as the south '. .. ward of tho; borough-of Onslow,' as security . for the loan, and tlio interest and sinking .fund (if any) thereon. . It is proposed that • .tho whole.amount of tho loan shall be re- : payablo at' tho expiration of a'term o£ 25 years computed from. . April 1, 1909; and it - . . is proposed ,to pay. out of the loan tho cost ; ,f . of'raising'the loan lind tho interest'-and • sinking, fund (if any): thereon for the first J ear. 1 V-;-Now. that tho £22,550'..has been passed, ' :;;-: ; 'which ' will :allow' of tliG installation - of " a V. 'water supply'for]Wadestown and Northland, those: districts':-.will'/sooh: "enjoy . . equiil prmleges with- residents of tho city.' ''/.yi : v.:Vlt: ihay, ;be : .fchesei diatrictsi ; : ' • aro now part <of the city of Wellington; .tho council proposes - to pledge; a' special rato of .. ..6-6ths o_r A.penny in- tho. .2 on-the value (on ; . tho basis, of the'.uniraproyed.;.value) of all if of ; ; - - ... AVellingtoii which' wero-ilately included; m,'the| • . boroughs-of Karori and- Onslow, exclusive of i ":;>." ; ~th'o, ; the: borough':<)f':Karori, defined . • ; in tlio first schedule of- tho Wellington (City) . -.' - ; Suburbs Sanitation _Act, :1893, as.'se'curity, forloan,- and.the"interest;and.isinking l -fund / (if-any) thereon. It; is proposed'that'the fciHS r/Lwhole .amojint' of^ shall'be-repayable' ;: .;: :: 'at'tho.-expiratiQiv of ft 'term bf . '. .- pu.t-ed froni 'April I, '1909';' and it is' further •. • proposed to pay out"of tho "loan tlio cost :of ■'. reraising -the loani f and'thG'inter-est and':sinkjfuad ;'(if... ahy): ? thereon. : for:i"the.:fixst year. THE REJECTED LOANS. - : -The first voting paper, submitted proposals for,:city:™rks^;which, werei-to'ebsfi : ; - were reiecfced.- togethor- with a' lump sum £40,000 intended for, additions', to t-ram- .' way'.rolling stock,.. power-houso plaptj jpur- / chase; of Bay feeder-:cable, 'erection- o'f : .Thomdon. pay-in -office- ■• and purchase of -. : laiid, ono annual paymont 'to. tho 'Miraiiiar liofong'a Co'iincil on account or tlio puj-chr.so of tramway within city boundary, widening • corner oLManuers and .Cuba Streets, .Lyell ■ - Bay-tramway ext-ension,: purchase'of -land for , , car-she(l at Kilbir'nio and building thereoiii li^:'a^;-Tho^dbn ; :'and- ; .. ' J,horeon,_ Streot'widening;. and electric 'light- ... : ing-stat-ion buildings and additions, .hew turbo JXv-y ;Bet;and"accessprreSi .purchase mrf'ers,: trans;! formers,, extension'of'main's; new connections -. apd suburban lighting.extensions. •- ' i:Of;'.the;jhine .itemsisubmitted'tho'Beveii i'rer - jected-inay bo sot out. thus:—\ . ' /' 1 ' £ ' J;:. 22j000;."> 11. Destructor - (additional): 4,500 - 111. Recreation grounds . ... 15,500 . .. IV: Kilbirnie .'Reclamation' and -, v-.: -i; ...vKeservcs (including outer :road " ".. r- '. . : V . and sea wall) : - 27,500 • . . V:. Workmen's Homes' ... •• .;. - 27,500 •' VI. Abattoirs (additional) -. . 2,750 ..'• . VII.-Tramways and Lighting. .. 46,000 ,' 1 ' THE VOTINC. i-%;-i:''ff Not. more than 2000 'ratepayers exercised vote, a very , small proportionj indeed. On £n; .' the alono tliero :are 13,206 names, ■ - and' of -theso ,977 on the .combiner! . roll of. .! -.' W'adestoCT .and.Northland,, and. 394 in-the ;south . ward of :. Onslow. had ;furtber voting powers.' This.means,that. 14,637 votes could recorded on tho various proposals. ~ The informal votes about 100.. . Mr. J: Ames' (city .value'!") and his' staff J; -. : may bo complimented: on the efficient, manner. •. . in'wlticli they'conducte<l the poll, and oii:tho promptitudo with, which tho ' results wero :« : -:: ; :'^^^?'i^lp w ip6,?tnblofgiyes Jdetails; of ; the: . polling in tho. various booths t-r;;:.-''
Mr. Smith: Does that mean that 110 further action will be <takeii ; in the -matter? • The Mayor said that that was the position until the finances could stand .the expenditure. It was ho said, explained prior to the poll that the whole of;, the item £46,000 would bo repaid outof revenue within, two years. ' The . atabunt . in' question involved not only the Maranui section, but also the cost of hous•ing years,-building extra cars, and accommodation, the . purchase oi land for buildirig purposes; and other necessary things to prevent waste in connection: with tlio corporation property. - The whole of the expendii ture : was absolutely necessary, excepting, perhaps, this particular proposal, which! might or might not bo necessary. : .. The Feeling of " No Spending." ■ . ''But," .continued tho TMayor, "tho citizens'in' their wisdom did ! not want their property improved by the..proposed expenditure., what wiU now happen will be-that'the work must be .done in, the.; most "wasteful style—just as. .we. have.the means —unless tho council find isome,.other way- that will be legal. I am not . at-allj sure,that the council cannot do it. If it can do it, the-council will proceed as was; proposed—in the simpler and: economic way. The citizens seem to have been seized with, sbme sort of feeling of—no-spend-ing,. false 'economy—which'they can be possessed with at times, and, as a result, the:' corporation will be much impeded in carrying out these most important works " "Mr.; Smith : Arenot:the corporation bound by .in agreement to go on P ' • - The..Mayor:..There, is. a matter of-three' years. It will be brought, before tho next . meeting. by . the Tramways . Committee, and thev council will-then' consider what works it' will. cdr'ry on out. of income. .1 ,ain not sure on the point, ! but. it. appears to ; me. that we'can raise the money in another way. But as I havo said before, it would have been! much more, convenient and economical' if-tho loan had been approved. ■'-■ . Newspaper Reports. •'.'As for the statement's in the paper;re-' gardipg the state ' of j the": negotiations" to which" you" : have referred, I suggest that ho.. attention .be ' paid to: the report in ' the newspapers. ; /The trustees in the'. estate in question" havo; duties <!o perform on - behalf of those '.Whom they represent, and * they, are bound the best. ,thoy can for them. Of.- course you can't come 'hero' to talk to anybody' as trustees," but to''the council if you . like.; Don't mix the Mayor and councillors..with' anybody else. ;, ..-"JMr.V Smith Wvo, come to" interview tho council.';'':" . :' The, Mayor r Well, Vl 'can tell y oil : that- th e council':is' just as,anxious a!s anj'bbdy' to see the work pushed on. .] -Mr; .Smith:;:,Would-.the .council: allow the officers of the council to report- as. to whether the' tramway ;cpuld',n6t 'bo .'made an exceedingly- payable concern 1 by taking; it-, down .'to the quarry? There, a lot of traffic on the road, and it would 'have a lot of money to the. corporation -in .connection with its, works. ■; The"Slayoi-'.- The -matter can,be placed-be-fore. the.i-City; Engineer.;for consideration and report., , : Mr. -.- Smith: People were induced .-.to-' go there ahdiliye- 'on : the : understanding - that, tho tram was to bo constructed. .; MaranUl Can Have Hone.
'..The ;Maypr :,;I- don't;, want: you to:'give. up ;hope. / .The'- .work might be, able to be under.t'akeii within-a 'short/period., No one.is, more anxious'/than- the: council , that it should be done.... lii any event I don't suppose it, will be J .pbs'tpbned. ; very ,;lohg.We- shall soon' bo ; at tlie end of the financial year, which ends in :March/,'and'Vwe , then' will.;'have the ;■ riglit to make . arrangements. . with ; ourbankers. in: regard - to what is necessary .to, bo done. Mr/ Smith: f It is' understood that the material for.'.the'tram' has been, bought. ; . The Mayor: Some of it has been purchased. If ' you, had been able to .'get another 100 voters, in. favour of, the• proposal it' would have.been a different thing. , .' . • Mr. Smith:,:ls /the material, that is on hand to be idle? • • ' ' •' somo figures): votes: out;, there , for the proposal right. ' J ." When. .'question ' time arrived, Councillor Biss f inquiredV^ls^theMayor prepared to.. make .''asy; further/ statement: TCith regard to, ;the' : voting on the '.loan proposals P v . : , - / ; His Worship : I don't think so at - this mcothig.'-r,•• .; Other Works. : Councillor; Hiss: I suppose that the whole' ■ matter .will .now,' be., discussed by<the 'Finance Committee, /.whicliwill bring down a : state-' ;ment:/asAto':how; the'•various: works in/connection with the abattoirs,- destructor,: tramways, etc., will be carried-on— . , .' j The Mayor The /position Is. that tho . abattoirs' jriU .. have, ;to ; remain k unfinished intho meantime. . .. ' ..- /;;/•'..: : Couneillor/BisV.'Asdl suppose the .same re-' mark applies to the destructor— ;• The Mayor :* The - citizens apparently did not -,think it worth while to expend £4000 to save £1200. - PROMPT ECONOMY. , MAYOR FORETELLS HIGH RATES. The/Fire Brigades . Committee ,of the City Council, /in- .theirreport. last night, recem-' mended— - "That?a motor chassis be obtained from' the Thorneycroft Company for tho sum of ...;^Bil 'lOsUnetj. paymentv.for which- 'will not have to he made until-the,: commencement ,of the: "nest financial year,: and delivery : . will, be made , within, weeks from the . date of the order/'. . , • The/Mayor' said that, he understood,the pro-; P.osal. to.;: borrow - for..' tramways; and , electric lighting' -purposes'- hadreceived - an/ adverse, vote; at tlio poll. If that were;so, it would? probably-:: ; me<ni; that .tha'next council' would have to. levy the highest possible rates if. they , desired .-.to on, their affairs without coming to. grief. In view of that, the council
'-i; ?v-.V: ;■ - - ° A ' --'"'J ;• • g • © .• •. £5 ' ; © -bi - XW- K :- , *!
Log in