CITY LOAN PROPOSALS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 290, 1 September 1920, Page 7

CITY LOAN PROPOSALS

EXPLAINED TO KELBURN RATEPAYERS. The loan proposals of the City Council were considered at a meeting of ICelburn ratepayers held last evening in the Training College. Mr. F. Meadowcroft presided. Councillors W. H. Bennett, C. Norwood, J. M. Dale, and L. M'Kenzio were present, also Mr. K. Luke, of the City Engineer's staff. The chairman stated that the meeting had been called to discuss the proposals and to hear further details of the schemo which councillors who had been invited might be able to give them. Mr. Meadowcroft referred to tho poor attendance, and stated that ratepayers wero either quite content with things as they were, and were -willing to leave matters to the management of the councillors, and were willing to pay any rates that might be demanded, or else they took no interest in civic affairs. What Kelburn wanted was an arterial road to open up the district.- This was ono of the strongest points with Kelburn ratepayers. Ho called upon Councillor Bennett to address the meeting. Councillor Bennett said that the demand for water was increasing, They had Onslow, Karori, and presently they would have Mirnmar to supply with water, and he regarded the water proposal as the most important one. He made a strong plea for tho tentative contract mado with Mr. Scrapie and his party of fifty expert tunnellers. Ho justified the contract on the ground that the co-operate tunnellers would be isolated, that they would be experts, and would push through with the work without any of the troubles that had. disturbed labour recently. He said that more time and moro money had lwen spoilt by tho council on Kelburn than on any other of the outlying districts. Mr. Bennett referred to tho various schemes that had been suggested (and critically examined) for previdin? an arterial road with a tramway to Kelburn. There was tho Ghuznee Street ■ extension and tho cable, tramway proposal, which was favourably received by tho council and tho experts, but which was tunied down after three weeks' consideration. There was another proposal of working from Boulcott Street, and this was abandoned because of its high cost and dead running. There was also a scheme for bringing the tram from Aro Street, up Norway Street, ami coming out at tho horseshoe lwnd. This was turned down for the scheme now before the ratepayers. So far the council had failed to find a convenient arterial road to Kelburn, nnd ho thought that tho scheme now submitted should receive support, for it was the best that could bo suggested.

Councillor ,T. M. Dalo referred to the water schemo and the Semple contract, and commended the' latter because of its being "strike-proof' and "go-slow proof." He , believed that if tho contract wero carried through in two years the tunnellers would earn 365. a day, and they would deserve the money.-

Councillor L. M'Kenzie dwelt on tho necessity of extending the rower scheme,, and pointed out that tho city was unablo at present to supply power. That was a drawback that must bo overcome. Referring to tho tramway proposals, ho said that the Raron Road route was not the shortest, but it wis the best from tho viewpoints of safety, of grade, and of cost.

Councillor Norwood also nddrcssed the meeting, and urged that the ratepayers should supnort tho whole, of the loan proposals submitted by the council.