CITY WORKS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2847, 11 August 1916, Page 6

CITY WORKS

WHAT FINANCIAL POLICY?

BIG FIGURES

QUARTER MILLION ON STREET

WIDENING

Arising out of a communication from the Municipal Electors' Association, who consider that much of the City work which is done out of revenue should be ■ done by special loans, the Mayor gave . somo interesting figures to the City Council last evening. Ho said that on street widening, wo had spent: v £ Willis Street 116,246 Newtown 63,535 Molesworth and Aitken Streets 25,528 Elizabeth Street 7,035 Miscellaneous 26,893 Total 239)239 The income was: ' " £ Loans for street widening 120,000 Loans for Willis Street 46,0J0 Wales' of land not needed, etc. 53,270 Sale of reclaimed land 11,905 Advance from District Fund ... 8,063 Total 239,239 The reserves expenditure was: , Reserves maintenance !... 45 269 ? a .v 11,898 iulbimie Reserve formation ... 7,956 Lyal! Bay Reserve formation ... 2*996 Lyall Bav purchase 9,593 Central-Park .' .. 2,658 Golf links .1 1,470 Forestry B J B IB Total 90,660 The' Mayor said that taking the work of the council for somo years past, it was clear that the development of tho City has entrenched on tho funds)'"but it was not too much for the City to pay out a few thousands every year. To say that for every new work a loan must be raised was unreasonable. Such a policy would hang up development. There would bo times when they would find the ratepayers so cautious. that they, would pass nothing. The council knew what works were urgent, and the confidence of the citizens must be reposed in the council. As far as forestry went, the "council must' call a halt. They stick to works of utility. The City Reserves, by the way, were a great credit to Wellington, especially when it was remembered that many were dug out of hillsides: Discussing tho subject, councillors agreed with the Mayor that the council should have the right tg get works done without submitting everything to the ratepayers. ■