THE PROPOSED £100,000 LOAN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 878, 26 July 1910, Page 4

THE PROPOSED £100,000 LOAN.

Sii^—lt was quite refreshing to read the protest against this' proposed further loading of the ratepayers of Wellington for some tiino to corao by Mr. ; F. B. Dwan, and to compare the arguments of those who wish to increase tho city rates With,'-as'stated by Mr.' Dwan, tlio'number ', of empty shops, . dwelliughouses, and merchants' buildings. and offices; and no'prospect of finding tenants for theni; even at reduced rents This is a factor in tho matter not to be ignored .at"the present time. Sir, tlioso empty buildings denote a shrinkage of our population of at least 3000 people. During the recent dullness in both the city and suburbs, building of any magnitudo lias almost ceased, and there are no large factories or large consumers of water-power projected that would overtake our present large supplies from tho two large liew reservoirs at Karori and Wainui-o-mata,' one of which, the great . Solomon's Knob Reservoir, is not even completed yet. We have always heard that our supplies aro sufficient for a population of over 100,000 people. With such / a largo number of empty houses, instead of requiring a further supply it is quite clear that there must be a decrease in' tho water consumption, and, with the lowering of rents, Sir. Ames's'valuations will naturally show no increase next year. The query then comes: Whore is tho interest and sinking fund to como from? The reply is: An increase in ' tho rates to provide, say, £5000 a year more for a projcct that is'apparently not' required until our population increases.

And now as to. tho age of tho Waimu-o-mata. pipes,, and the breaks caused through tho widening of the Hutt Road. The pipes are, no doubt, good for many years to come. The-writer is awaro that tho pipes from the Vartry River, County Wicklow, to tho city of Dublin, arc over twice the ago of. the Wainui waterpipes, and reported in good order and preservation. As to the breakages: Tho carting aud blasting along tho Hutt -Road that so seriously interfered with the joints of the pipes will sooii bo completed, it is reasonable to suppose, that for tho future breaks will diminish. At present, borrowing to increase .the rates should bo'postponed for somo time. With' refcrenco to firo prevention, we, with those . two new great storage reservoirs, are in a position to copo with outbreaks, for which, no doubt, we ought to thank tho City Council. —I am, eto., RATEPAYER,