£10,000 LOAN MONEY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2161, 29 May 1914, Page 9

£10,000 LOAN MONEY

. FOR CITY SUBURBS BETTER ROADS PROMISED A recommendation that an amount of £5000, should bo included in the presont city loan proposals was mado to the City Council last night by the Outlying Districts Committee. The purpose for which tho money was to be expended (recommended tho committee) ■was in constructing footpaths and improvements to streets in ,the outlying districts. ' Councillor' R. A. Wright asked .whether tho committee had any idea'ill which districts it was intended to spend the money. There were certain streets in Brooklyn which could bo attended to with advantage. Councillor H. Buddie congratulated tho committee on their recommendation. ■He had mado a similar auggestion at tho special meeting which had considered tho loan proposals. Ho did not think ihat it would be safe, however, to mention tho roads on which it was proposed to spend the money. If they did so the votes'of the people concerned, would b6 gained, and then the matter would drop. Tho City Engineer might consider the matter, and make recommendations. • Councillor E. Tregear said, that lift would like a definite promise that part of the sum should, be allocated to tho districts which had not been s( favoured lately as other parts. The northern end, particularly, should be attended to Councillor R. Fletcher: Surely if £5000 is allocated to the Outlying Committee it should bo left in the hands of the committee and tho engineer as to where it is to be spent? Councillor G.' Frost said that personally he felt that £5000 was not onougb to provide for the outlying districts. .It was time that something should be done for the unfortunate residents' who' had to wado through mud and slush to their homes. Hβ moved that the amount should be increased to £10,000, and that the expenditure should be decided on through.the recommendation of the engineer to tho committee. Councillor Luqkie deprecated any indication being Riven of the districts to bo considered, but ho favoured the" , increase of tho sum.. They ought to be able to get £10,000 for such an important proposal. ,■-,.-, ■ i The Mayor said that he hoped that the council would approach the matter with due regard to their responsibilities. There was a good deal to bo said on the side of the outlying districts, but there was something tb bo said on the other side. Tho outside ' districts had not contributed anything to the original loan for improving tho streets in tho city. ■ It was quite possible that the Estimates could, be so framed as to allow an adequate sum to be set aside for the outlying districts, thus obviating the necessity for the loan. He was going to support the report,-but not vote for the increase to £10,000.'

Councillor T." C., A. Hislop opposed the recommendation. There was nothing to show that the amount would he required, he said, and ho objected to putting a proposal before the ratepayers when it was not known whetherit would be needed. There might bo quite eufficient out of rovenu© to dial with the wants of the districts. ■ ...

Councillor ' Hindmarsh: There is no doubt that' some-sum is .necessary, for roads in the , outlying districts.- • If the council can'put aside £7000. or £8000 the loan will not be necessary. I suggest...thatr.we,-. adjourn .consideration of the;matter : . , td''gct?:a:reporti-fr6m the engineer, t -.-.',. ,-:. ...

Councillor Wright approved ■of . theamendment to increase the -amount to £10,000... : ■•.■.-. ■;. .--. ■.;-,.■ - Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald said that ho was .pleased that the general principle of the motion.had met with thosurjDort of the council. With regard to the Mayor's statement.that £17,000 had been spent on the roads of the outlying districts, that the expenditure did not reflect credit,on those who,had supervised the work. Some of the roads were in a terrible condition. • The outlying districts paid their share for many of tho improvements in the city. As chairman of. the committee ho would say that they Had a very fair idea where the money would bo spent, but it was not politic to announce tha,t. Hej would say that it would bo spent on Wadeatown, Roseneath, Brooklyn, Northland, etc., but he did not th'ink that they should name any particular .district. •ni« ««« ayor P° inte( 3 out that last yoar £16,000 was raised in tho outlying districts and £17,718 had been spent on £73,000 had been raised by general rate, but only £22,600 had been spent on street work. Ho was not going to Bay anything further. . b ■ *iflnn n n° ill<!r If the sum of ±.16,000 was raised and £17,000 spent, does not that show that the allocation if wranß . ? ,, ,rhl ? auestion -Ao-JM not be repeatedly raised. It has no' benrwtj&^r^ of Improving the Councillor Tregear seconded the 410,000, and this was carried. '