POLICY OF CAUTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1748, 13 May 1913, Page 6

POLICY OF CAUTION.

FOR LOWER lIUTT BOROUGH, THE MAYOR'S OUTLOOK. In his inaugural .address (o the newlvelected councillors last evening after his installation, Mr. E. P. Bunny, who was retn'rned unopposed for the Lower Ilutt Mayoralty at tho recent elections, remarked that it was a matter for congratulation that tho district had not deemed ail election contest necessary—that the old councillors who had again offered their services and the new candidates who had been nominated U> fill the places of those who had retired had received the confidence of the electors, and been returned unopposed. Keviewiug the position of affairs in the borough, the Mayor went on to say that tho system of drainage and sewage sanctioned * by tho-ratepayers about six year's ago had now been practically completed. When this work wis authorised the magnitude and difficulties of tho undertaking had not been fully realised. If they had had an adequate conception of what the work involved, owing to the unexpected difficulty' of the ground, it was doubtful if the "ratepayers would have sanctioned it, which would have been a very great pity. However, it was now completed, practically speaking, and tile achievement was, a mat tor lor general congratulation. There slill remained certain draiungc work to be undertaken 011 certain subdivisions in the borough, but with iregard to these, as, for example, on the '.l.'e Momi and Knight's JMate Syndicates' subdivisions, the liability of the syndicates in respect of bonds entered into had to bo considered.

Cautious Finance. "The council," continued (he Mayor, "will require to exercise great caution in matters of finance. There is, firstly, the matter of our contribution to tlio cost of the Hutt lioad construction work, concerning Which the Commissioner appointed by the Government is at present reporting upon. I believo that if the matter is put properly b'-'foro tho Government, some equitable adjustment of the amount of tho contributions to bo paid by the local bodies will bo possible. Wo have also to consider the question of the increased levies imposed upon local bodies in respect of contributions to -the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Our own levy has increased from- ,£7OO last year to over .£IOOO this year. There is 110 limit to theso demands. The board might decide to build a new. hospital tomorrow, and come on us for our share of tho cost. The board's estimates aro never submitted to us—we aro not consulted at all. The question for the council now will be to approach tho Government with tho object of having some limit fixed upon our contributions to tho board—that only a certain .proportion of our incomo may be alienated for tho hospital and charitable aid levy. "Another matter which the council will liavo to consider is tho demands that have been submitted by the General Labourers' Union with regard to increased wages. I understand from the Borough Engineer that theso demands, if acceded to, will cost the council an additional .£•100 a year in wages. You will therefore see that having regard to theso large liabilities which have to be considered by us, there will not bo much left wherewith to carry on the ordinary maintenance works in tlio borough.

"With regard (o the road-improvement works in this district," said the Mayor in conclusion, "I hope to see this work pi on at it greater pace than has o been the case in the past. By the new process of machine scarifying, the cost of these works would bo less than half what it formerly cost t'lie council. AVe shall therefore, I hope, be in a position to proceed v.'ith improvement work on the main road and other principal thoroughfares."