THE DRAINAGE PROPOSALS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2171, 22 April 1908, Page 2

THE DRAINAGE PROPOSALS

SUGGESTED RATING SCHEME. DISCUSSION AGAIN ADJOURNED (I After the ordinary bunint'ss on the ordor paper-at the meeting of the Borough Council had been disposed of last evening, Mr. Mestayer’s scheme to drain and sower the town at a cost of £125,000 was again brought up for discussion. At «• ])rovious meeting of the Council Cr. Bright moved: “That the outfall sewer, estimated to cost £14,700, be secured by a rate over the whole borough; that by draining areas 1,2, and 3, estimated to cost about £35,000, a special rate bo levied over the whole of the areas sewered to provide for interest, sinking fund, and pumping charges; that a special loan to cover sewer connections be secured by a special rate providing for repayments by instalments within fivo years.” „ . ... At the meeting of the Council held a month ago the Mayor, Mr. J. Townley, on behalf of Cr. Williams, moved as an amendment: “That to provide an outfall sewer and drainage for areas 1,2, and 3, estimated to cost £50,000, the loan be secured by a special rate over the whole borough exclusive of areas 6,7, 8, and 12, to include, in addition to interest and sinking fund, the estimated annual pumping charges, the incidence of such rato to vary in the respective areas concerned, so that areas 1,2, and 3, shall bo rated at Is in the £, •4, 10, and 13 at 9d in the £, and 4, 0, and 14 at Od in the £.” In speaking to the amendment, Or. Bright said he thought the rates proposed would kill the scheme altogether; lie was anxious to see a drainage system adopted, but could not favor the taxation proposed m the amendment. Ho understood Or. Pettio had a suggestion to place before' the Council on the matter. Cr. Pettio said ho had given the question a great deal of. consideration, and had tried to think out a rating scheme that would bo acceptable to the ratepayers. He did not think Dr. Williams’ proposal would be accepted, for lie found that, ratepayers were against paying rates for ten or twelve years without any service. He was strongly opposed _to any portion of the borough escaping paymont for a just share of the main newer, but thought, as the sewer would serve the whole town, it should be paid for by the ratepayers as a whole. To construct the sewer and servo areas 1,. 2, .and 3 would cost £50,000, requiring interest and pumping charges annually to £3650. A rate of 3d in the £ over the whole borough, now valued at £90,500, and a rate of Is in the £ on the areas served, now valued at £48,000 to £50,000, in three years’ time would produce £3750, or £IOO more than was required. A further instalment of £25,000 would be. needed in six years’ time to completo areas 4, 10 and 13, which would require^interest and pumping charges of £ISOO. A rate of Is in the £ over these areas, now at a capital value of £23,500, but then at a probable value of £25,000, with an increase of areas 1,2, 3, would produce £1750, or £2OO more than was required. The third instalment of £25,000 would bo required in nine years to serve areas 5,9, 11 ,and 14, upon which interest and charges to £ISOO would have to be paid. A shilling rate on the capital value of the areas then benefited would produce £IOOO, and, with an increase in the capital value of the parts already served, an additional £1625, or £125 more than was required. The fourth and final instalment of £25,000. to completo the scheme could be borrowed in twelve years, and with interest and charges would need £I6OO annually. A ■ rate of Is in the £ over these later parts of the borough areas, 6,7 A 8, and 12 to come in would give £375, but the increased value of all the other areas would produce another £750 or £1125 annually. The interest on the proposed loan with pumpiug charges was £8250, and the total revenue from the rates upon this system would be a similar amount. By this means a ratepayer would only pay 3d in the £ towards the cost of the main sewer until he was served, and Is in the £ afterwards. He would not use the suggestion as a resolution, but thought either Cr. Bright or Dr. Williams could alter their motion so as to agree with a threepenny rate over those areas that would nob be served immediately the scheme was adopted. Cr. Sheridan said the suggestion was very comprehensive, and required matured consideration.

Cr. Mann said he was not prepared to give an opinion oil the suggestion off-liand. The recommendations required thought. Cr. Bright said it was only right that as the whole borough would benefit in tlie main outfall sewer, . all ratepayers should contribute to its cost.

Tho Mayor said tho present sani-

tary arrangements satisfied no one, and cost nearly £IOOO a year. If Mr. Mestayer’s scheme was .adopted that would bo saved. The town had a name of being infested with typhoid, and that stigma would be removed if a good system of drainage were undertaken. ' He thought Cr. Pettie’s suggestions were -good ones, and that if it was decided to take a vote on a proposal to borrow £125,000 at once, it would bo defeated, but that the money should be borrowed as each area was served.

" Dr. Williams said he heartily welcomed Cr. Pettie’s suggestions. ' He ivas anxious to see a workable scheme, but he proposed his amendment because lie thought Cr. Bright’s original motion would 'kill the scheme. The proposal ho had just heard was rather largo to digest in one night, but lie could not get away from tho fact that the town must have drainage. The “Shone” system was admittedly good, and he favored Mr. Mestayer’s scheme, but was not wedded to any particular way of bringing it into effect. Cr. Bright said the Council had digested Dr. Williams’ amendment sufficiently to take a vote upon it. Cr. Mann said .that while he liked Cr. Pettie’s suggestions, he was not prepared to vote without further consideration.

Cr. Bright said lie would favor asking tho ratepayers for authority to borrow the £125,000, but to only raise the money progressively as it was required.

Cr. Whinray thought the whole proposal far too precipitous. The borough had too many works to be undertaken before an expensive drainage scheme was entered upon. Ho recognised that sewage was urgently required, but was of opinion that the ratepayers would not agree to pay increased rates for borrowed money. He thought consideration of tlie whole •-•"home should be held in abeyance. The -town was not in such a distressed sanitary state as some people made out,

The debate was then adjourned until the next meeting of the Council.