STRONG CRITICISM

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2150, 16 May 1914, Page 6

STRONG CRITICISM

OP LOAN PROPOSALS

WABESTGWN RATEPAYERS INDIGNANT

A meeting of tho Wadcstown Electors' Association was held at Yfn-dW town last' night, to consider the loan proposals recently, put forward by tho Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke).

Mr. (X R. Smith presided, and there was a good attendance.'. The chairman mentioned that the Mayor had been invited to attend, but had probably been unable to do so. Mr, Smith proceeded to state that the meeting was in no way aii indignation meeting, bat had been called by tho Itatepayers'' As* ■sedation, to allow residents to express their views. If the resolutions carried took the form of a protest thfii thov would be the voice of tho district. In passing'/he would say that they had always had tho goodwill of the Mayor, but thero was plenty of room for • the goodwill to doTclop." (Applause.) Mr. C. R, Jcplin asked what Was tho position of Wadestowii in respeot to the loan. He understood that they would not be rated for anything toticli-M-α. the city. If that was so, thero was no reason in discussing the matter. The chairman replied that ho had fto definite, information.on the subject, but if tho city was to be burdened witß a largfi debt they woulci, titter directly or indirectly, be liable. Mr. E. VTyHo said that there wi>s no differentiation of districts, and their properties would be rated.

Mr. ffi. Wiffcn thouglit that when. Wadestown ainalgamatcd with tho. oity they were given to understand that they would not bo lioblo for any rates incurred by the city, and in. which they received no benefit. Mr. W.vlie:' "Yes, that applied ta past loans. B .' . Motion of irotsst, Mr. Jo'pliu thea moved the Mewing motion :— - "That this meeting of Wades-- • town ratepayers strongly protest against tho exchtsioii of this suburb from- participating in the ex*pemiiiure, as set forth in the ■Mayor's-".proposed' ban for citv works, and that tlie City Council bo requested to place oh the schedule of «xpeii<?ttui-e 'an'nmoDut wliiEh KilJ coTCf-the"ebsfcbf est-encl-i«K the tram service to tho citizens', valuable asset, -the scenic reserve,:known as Wilton's Bush; to provwo.a recreation. ground; to 'improve -the'various.streets, by tc-.fifadingV.an-a. ranking footpaths; : and to ,light adequately tho tfor- • .oUßflfaros -of Wafetown."

. In speaking .to his motion, Mr. Joplin remarked, ..that whoa -lie. perused theloan proposals, amounting to £340,000, and looked down thorn, he found that all vnat.Waacstowji was to get was a giltedged fire-brigade station. Tho' loa.ns provjijed fcj; a traffic tunnel for Hataitai, to cost £70,000. If that was only going to ;tap tho sea front, it was an expensive thing. There we're various improvonaentß,at Island.Bay and Oriental Bay., £13,000 odd, ■ making almost a fouftji of the ' loan . for oao district. Was not. it fair for those, and Other ''districts ■ benefiting, te bo rated as ■Wadestown was Jot the. trams? (Hear,, near.) -Provision had been made for a Central Park, but during his residence ,;in Wades town there had been no nark pravidfid for. the district, with the exception of Wifton's Bush, which %o proposed to deal with'hrfpjr on, Mr, Joplin n.lso criticised the proposal for hat'hs iirother.distffctsj a.nd.tji&ught that 6omeUiing-'shenlf{ be done lor- their main road, especially as provision was made in the loan for wood'-bloclnng. Summarisittg the loan. Mr. J<jp.lin said that Kilbimie.' had got and, with Constabie Street,- £45,950; Island Bay, £6800; Lyail Bay, £4653. What had WadQstown get out of thatp He was sorry-the details Imd not been published before the election. ■ ; firouiids Wanted. . fteferrmg to Wilton's Bush (whicSi the ; speaker said wae worth £20,000), ho pointed out that they had-no means of f ! etting the'people there. Nothing had . een done by way. of ostehding' tho trams, and, as they had no means.of extending them themselves, they had to [look t<s the ptiy Council. They were [rated for their trams, and rated at'a floss., liiore was no doubt that- tho coun|cil Bhmtld bear ■ a portion of'that loss. i tack of recreation grounds in tho dis- . tri«i was mentioned, and a comparison . made with the 'parks provided in other . districts adjacent to-tlio city. Tho failuro of tlie city to- adequately deal' with the toads.and.footpaths in'Wadestown was also referred to by the speaker, I who also .'.found fault .with the KgnWnß, despite the fact that Wadesteiw was described as "adequately liglited." Mr. F. Larlan seconded the njotton, .end thought that if'every part- <jf the ;■ di?,tjrjet w.is to be rated for tie', loan, ievery part, should.be benefiW. Hβ thought th* loan propoiials Wore simply i a vcte-eatdiing preposition, for every par! that was. thickly populated was provided for; Ho thought that the ' oil should have secured for £.3000 ft. piece/ <rf land shutting out access to Wilton's . Bush, • instead of. devoting the nio-ney to Day's Bay. Ho did not think one improvement had been provided in Wadestown' since the amalgamation. . ' They cof Neglected. : Sir. J. J. Connor thought Wadcstown di'l |;et something from the City Coun- ; oil-—it was'neglect. .(Laughter.') It was i-d.lo to talk .of the roads of Wndestown. ; They we're' not roads; they were not oven tracks—they were sinsply mxiichaimels. Mr. Wylie thought that the meeting should, express its awreektjott of the executive; in , calling the ratepayers together. In' the past they had, suffered ;by apathy, but tho time had. arrived ■ when they must go forth to the-City ; Council and demsnd their rights. They had received nothing since they haS joined the' City. Ho did not think jt was right that they should have their properties taxed fqr the putting down, cf a double tfaek t0 B-rpoklyil, a tunnel to KilW-mic, and the Hill Street tram deviation. He thought they should goin a body.to the- City Council and de-iim-iKi that the Special rate should not be struck--on Wades-town.. . Mr, Wylie criticised the proposed losat expendjturej and emphasised tho most pressing needs of. Wadestown, including better streets, and a "recreation ground, Another Motion. Mr. Jopliii's r-esbluiiott was carried imanimously, and Mr, -J. H. -Goider moved the following motion: — "That this meeting of and GoWje's. Brae, ratepayers- protests against the expressed intention of. tile M*yoT. to glace his loaji proposals en 'blpe; which course, if persisted, in, wilt give them no option but ix) vote against the whole loan, however desirable some of its pravisiotts may bo." Iβ speaking to 'the motion, he dirated the loans into useful and ornamental requests. Regarding the establishment of a fire brigade,.ho thmignt tllat Micro was not raucfi -use for a permanent official, unless ho could combine tho two positions, of fireman and policeman". Mr. Conner, seconded tlte resolution, which was carried nnsiiiiiMusly, and it Was decided to arrniigo a deputatiou to wait cJ] the, City Council and put the resolution s b'.ofo m them.