A LOAN FOR SOUTH DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 4248, 7 October 1876, Page 2

A LOAN FOR SOUTH DUNEDIN.

Fully 100 persons responded last evening to the invitation of the Mayor of South Duuedin to meet in the sehoel-house at the Forbury, "to consider the best mode of forwarding the interests of the municipality." The Mayor, who occupied the chair, explained the reasons that led him to call the meeting. The recent meeting of the ratepayers had very injuriously affected the interests of the municipality insomuch as Immediately the Corporation's credit had been stopped by their bank, the result of which was the Council was not in a position to pay for certain works on which they had entered in the belief that they would be allowed an overdraft until such time as they negotiated a loan or collected the rates. After entering into an explanation of the fmancial position of the Corporation he went on to say that if the ratepayers would not consent to the loan, the whole of the works now in progress would be brought to a standstill. The meeting should be cautious in regard to the manner in which it would vote, as the matter was one of great importance. If those who carried the resolution at the previous meeting had known that its effect would be to injure their credit as much as it had done, he believed they would never have lifted their hands up in favor of it. The result of the action of the meeting on the occasion to which he was referring was that if they went in for a loan now they would not get the money on as favorable terms as they otherwise would have done. In reply to questions, The Chairman said he was unable to tell how much of the proposed loan was to be expended in drainage works, but if it so pleased the ratepayers the whole amount could be so expended. He was not in a position to give detailed information, which could be obtained from the Town Clerk by any of the ratepayers. Mr Wyber expressed astonishment that the Council were unprepared with statistical information on the subject; for all the ratepayers knew the Council might only appropriate a few hundreds in drainage and squander the rest as they did the last loan. Mr Downey maintained that better management and not a loan was wanted Carbarn, St. Kiida, and South Dunediu should be formed into one municipality; and unless that was done the present tinpt affair would not answer. Under the existing order of things the Flat was going back fast. He moved—"That before any loan be contracted the Mayor and Council should re » 1 T !n, rt but was not able to find a seconder Mr Osmond contended that the present was an opportune time to borrow, seeing that negotiations were pending with the Oaversham Road Board for a comprehensive scheme of drainage, which, if carried out, would require a loan of itself. If they did not delay borrowing until these negotiations were concluded, they would have to go on borrowing until they would become so top heavy that it would be a charity to wipe them off the map of the Province. The Council should practice economy. St Kilda showed more for its LI.OOO than South Dunedm did for its L 2,000. Mr Barrowman moved—

That this meeting is of opinion that for the progress and importance of South Dunedin, it LaC Tately necessarjr to borrow money to the full extent to which the rates wi 1 pay the interest and BiuUaa fund thereon, and that it highly approves of thi intention of the Council to do so; at& timl it strongly condemns the action of tow who, through ignorance or petty lealonsy-fhissefl th? SETS i,! ndeavo^ to thr ° w obstruction * the way of the general advancement of the district tlnded^ar^ 88 * *• —"»» «5$ He urged the meeting to carry the resolution, as if it were rejected the consequence during next winter would be very injurious to them. He denied that the Council had ever contemplated widening the main street out of the proceeds of the loan. The object of those who took part in the late meeting was not to ascertain the true position of the municipality, but to harrass those in power Mr Paterson seconded. Mr Brady considered the resolution embodied an insult to the ratepayers The charge of ignorance could be more' fairlv applied to the person who used such lan guage than to anyone else.-(Applause). Mr Barrowman might shake his head -(A Ratepayer : Oh ! he has got nething in it.) S^TwJ* 0 be / e i b y ttenoseormadi to adopt the ideas of Mr Barrowman, who had no experience on the Flat, and who notwithstanding, had the effrontery to offer to carry out a system of drainage for LIOO Mr Barrowmnn : I rise to a point of TiSSEr*' hi3Bes ' and *~* » *

Mr Brady : I have been aceused of falsehood ; are there any others in this room who heard hm say so ?-(A chorus of "Yes, we ?\j )—?° that someone other than I has told a falsehood.— (Hear). Mr Barrowman : Your memory does net serve you. Mr Brady wished the ratepayers not to be led away by those who owned sections, but who did not reside on them. They were bond fide settlers, and had to pay 30s or 40s as rates, while the land jobber who possessed acres only paid Ll. But they were told that when the Flat was improved, those who did not reside there at present would go out to live upon it. - (Applause.) Would they submit to that sort of work.—(Loud cries of "No, no.") He then referred to the way the money had been squandered on CargUl load. In accordance with the specifications the metal should have been only four-inch metal. But he would solemnly swear that it was a foot square.—(A voice : Fourteen inches; for I broke it. Another voice : I put a piece eight inches square into a culvert fcopreventmyhorse's legfromgettinginto it.) Was it fair or right that the ratepayers should be victimised in that manner. —(No no.) If the ratepayers submitted to that any longer they were fools and fiats whe were living on the ITlat. Mr M'Bride moved, and Mr Hessbt seconded, as an amendment— That the Mayor and Councillors be requested to have prepared, printed, and distributed amonr the ratepayer* a comprehensive detailed statement of the Income, expenditure, and liability of the Municipahty up to the 30th June, being the period embraced by the last audit. And that a supplemen. tary statement bo prepared and distributed showmg the expenditure, Income, and liability up to dale, and until this be satisfactorily accompUsned anyfo&erlSn? to tne borrowing ~

The proceedings which had been none too orderly from the commencement, beoame positively uproarious at this stage The interruptions to the speakers were numerous aud continuous, while some were not allowed their full ten minutes, the majority of the meeting being evidently impatient to c )me to a vote. When the speaking power was exhausted, considerable difficulty was experienced in obtaining scrutineers. There appeared to be a feeSn* that the impartiality of no one in the district could be generaily relied on, and the consequence was innumerable propositions for " an outsider," the choice ultimately resting on the reporters, who, for good reasons, declined the UQn«r A Then Mr Barrowman.

wished to exolse the objeotlojuVie Mtitak of his motion, which the meeting would not let him do; and some one near the door ad« dressing a person opposite him as " a whelp ,r led to more oonfusion. Ulti* mately, the Chairman and Mr Brady were accepted as scrutineers, and on the vote being taken they declared the amendment carried by 54 against 49. The annouueement of the result was received with cheering by those opposed to the proposed loan. An unsuccessful attempt was made to obtain a recorded division. We heard it Btated that the Council intend testing the feeling of the municipality on the subject by a ballot.