LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 885, 3 August 1910, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

V RE CITY-COUNCIL-£IOO,OOO LOAN. ■.-'■'■■ Sir,—l. wish to protest strenuously against this ••water*-loan- at the present.time," aiid' T* maintain 'that it is injudicious on the part uf the rate and rent payers to vote for this proposal, as it will increase the rates, and if rates are increased ■• fehts-'-must- be increased also. The values of properties in- the city and suburbs hare decreased considerably daring the last two years,'and it will be impossible.for,Jhe. city,valuer to maintain. the' , ,(high>-pr , ices obtaining sev.eral years'.back, consequently tho . City. ..Council's income will.be less unless the rates' are increased to niako up for the' fall in values. There';is ; . ho '.-'denying the fact that values have fnllch'.- Wellington is suffering from a temporary depression.the same ns the whole of the Dominion, but -as tho-prospectsare ;good;> -I. expect that inside of another year prosperity will be restored, population will have Retrenchment at the present is tho order of the day. Everyone, in-,cluding-vthe 'Goye.rnment. iiaye been hard 'i'at'itifor Eomeitimeccutting'down expenses, .but , ; our cdrfncil'.seeras to ..go •on .merrily spending the':'peopld's'-:mdney.;-. Rotrench'ment. .never,-seems to' have-., occurred .to ■them/".;- ; ;;■ ; ■>':•"' '~)}■' ■'■■'';:■',■' ■" ":■

r We ,, can do without this additional water service for several years to come, and> although the' Mayor says . there will be ,no : rate- struck, you can rest assured that with the falling revenue money will have to bo obtained somewhere, conse-quently-1 feel certain that this rate will be /collected, and also that our ordinary, fates will bo considerably increased. The only true solution of the water difficulty is' to' mako it compulsory . for ■ property owner's to'put-in meters, with:an allowance. of.-so nfany"thousand gallons per annum free. "It is .'well; known that there is,a scandalous} jvaste,of water, but if tho general consumers ■had': to.'pay for their water by' meters, the .same' as tho hotelkeepers, shopkeepers, and warehousemen .'have to do, 1 feel confident that the present ' water- supply will suffice for many years to come. The council -should pror .vide meters on. easy terms. The . interest, to. extend over five years. This charge-should not amount to moro than 10s. per annum for each ,house.. As an absolute proof, I was walking '.aIoDR. the '.'streets last summer and I sawvfcloar ivafe running: along tho gut te'rs 'from. wood', and coal • facteries,,where they', wefo idr.iying'"their, machinery,, by .water .etc. This,' I maintain, :is 'a crime; to see clear water running like this, when people could install .electrio and steam power, etc., in factor-; ies." What right have these- pcoplo' to drive their machine.ry with .water which is for tho use'of the citizens? ,'.'".'■'.■ ■

Ratepayers' do hot seem to notice the; fact that the rates "are. steadily.: increasing.- ..la the.past largo loans'havo been 6penl,,in..a"..wasteful manner. Tho' purchase ,of ;'the. Electric. '.Light Company's' 'concessions .'by' the council, in my opinion! was poorly conducted, the council paying a large sum for what was practically obsolete machinery, -'niid which since ,has been;mostly thrown away iii the, scrap. Jieap, and. replaced by modern machinery.. Tho only real, value that w.as obtained: in .this deal was getting rid of a^ competitor. Tho citizens are not clamouring for any more beautifying iniproye,ments, or paitaiat tho'-prosent iime, and i'as;(mbst of the ■■streets-are in l fairly good order,-, nobody. ._> is, complaining, consequently the expenditure . can easily bo brought within reasonable limits. ■I am'strongly opposing- the loan" in the .city, and 1 if things. aTe allowed.to go on without a protest, as they have been in ;the..past,-property will-not beworth owning in Wellington.'. Bates will soon be as ■ heavy: as': they l are' in London, where I •anvdnfdrmed they aro.in- some parts as hignas 125.: 6d.. in '..the Jβ.. It is to the ;bcnefit-of this loan, lasiincfeascd 'fates"inean'..ino'reased.rents. am, , etc., ~'?'"';; ■- ... S./ v V-:- : ■ . ■ -■■•■■■ "-FRANK SHAW. • ' .Wellington, August '1,. 1010.- . : i ; .'A' -: : "'' Sir,—Can' yon Je'kplains.the Teason .whj the Attorney-General has not replied to Mr.ST. Cotter s- views of the above Act in-similar haste-to which he did to 31r. Harold Beauchamp's views, publislied in the "Evening Post" of the 19th ultimo ? 4j am, etc.,- •- :.;j ; y_ -■"Wellington,. August 2, 1910. -' ; V: