THE MUNICIPAL LOAN.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1922, 22 April 1880, Page 3

THE MUNICIPAL LOAN.

PUBLIC MEETING. A public meeting of ratepayers, convened by his Worship the Mayor in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, to consider tho propositions of the City Council for borrowing a certain sum of money for water supply, channelling, erection of municipal buildings, Ac., was he'd on Wednesday in the Oddfellows’ Hall. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance, the body of the hall being filled. On the platform were the members of the City Council, and the two plans of municipal buildings acc ptod by tho Council for recommendation to the ratepayers were displayed on the stage. The Town Clerk having read the advertisements convening the meeting, and containing the proposals intended to be submitted to the decision of the ratepayers, The Mayor said that he had to apologise for the non-attondauce of Crs. Hulbert and Vincent, who could not be present that evening. They were aware that the meeting was called in accordance with clause 141 of the Municipal Corporations Act, to consider the raising of a loan for objects stated in tho notice given by the Council. The Council had, as they were aware, been urged by tho Press and tho public to take up the question of water supply, and had been induced by Mr Blackwell and Mr Hubbard to recommend a gravitation scheme designed by Mr W. White, or, failing that, one of turbine power designed by Mr Blackwell. With regard to the public buildings the Council had called for designs, and had also obtained a site known as the old post office whereon to erect the building. They had obtained the assistance of some of the leading citizens, and they had selected two —viz., “ Avon,” and “ Well Considered,” which had been exhibited. As the public were aware the loan for channelling was required to complete the channelling of the city, miles of which were still uncompleted. He did not wish to address them at great length, as the Building and Water Supply Committee were represented and besides this Mr Blackwell was present at hie (the Mayor’s) invitation, to give any information that might be required on the Water Supply Scheme. As a Council he could assure them they only desired to afford the ratepayers every information in their power. He trusted that all would hear everyone who wished to address them with patience, and would consider the very important subject carefully. As a large number of speakers would probably address them ho thought it would be advisable that some curtailment of time in speaking—say to a quarter of an hour each speaker—should be adopted. The questions could only be discussed there that night, and he should be glad to have anyone who desired to address them on the platform. The matter was now before them, and he should be glad to hear anyone who desired to speak. The first thing that would have to bs considered was tho gravitation scheme of Mr White, which would be read by the town clerk. The Town Clerk then read the proposal as contained in the notice of the Council. In answer to Mr Atkinson, The Mayor said it was competent for the ratepayers to reject both schemes. Mr Jacobsen mounted the platform and asked the Mayor how many people required water in their houses.

The Mayor said that it was impossible for him to answer this question. It would be answered on the polling day. Mr Jacobsen said ho contended that the artesian supply was sufficient for all the householders in Christchurch. He had been about in many of the houses and he felt sure they could not get better water than artesian water. [Cheers.] It was clear, free from insects and required no filtration. In all countries where artesian water was procurable they tried to get it, as it was the best. The water came from the earth, and they had to pay no rates for it. As regarded fire prevention, he had sent in a simple plan which had been laughed at by the water supply committee. It was to have some four miles of pipes laid down, with connections at every five chains. At the end near the river the pipes might be connected with rams, which would give the forty feet pressure. The engines could be put on the mains spoken of, and this scheme would only cost about £1 a year for each householder who might require to have this fire pravention scheme carried out in the streets in which his property was situate. Ho felt sure this would be the best way to have their property protected from fire. It had been said that the artesian supply was failing, but he contended that this was not so, as at the Crown Brewery he had seen 34,000 gallons per day running. The fact was that their ideas were too large. [Cheers.] This scheme of his would cost about £7OOO, but the water supply committee spoke of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mr Ollivier asked the chairman what the proposition was before the meeting. The Mayor said the Waimakiriri and Alternative Water Scheme.

Mr Ollivier said that he had been told that ho had only a quarter of an hour to speak, and he would at once say he was utterly and entirely opposed to the Waimakiri scheme. [Loud cheers.] In order to give them an idea of his views, he would read them a resolution, which he hoped they would carry unanimously. It was as follows :—“ That a scheme of water supply for Christchurch is required at present only for the purpose of flushing the surface or subsoil drains of the city ; and that the City Council bo recommended to confine their attention to procure only a sufficient supply for these purposes from the river Avon within the city.” Ho wanted to ask them what all this talk meant? [A Yoice —Spending money ] Well, perhaps this was so ; but it meant this, something for the people who came afcor them some 200 years, but which for them now was esmpletely ridiculous. They were told that the only source of supply was the Waimakariri, but Mr Doyne had told them that the Heathcote, Hals well, Styx, and Avon wore merely branches of the Waimakariri; and their artesian supply was the Waimakariri. [Cheers.] They had been told that they must go miles up country to get the very water which was running through their streets, which was under the streets of their city. [Loud cheers.] Did they want water for their households, they had it in their artesian supply. Did they want improved fire protection, let (he insurance companies provide it. [Loud cheers.] Now the insurance companies’ operations in Christchurch alone amounted to two or three millions, and the premiums taken in the same city about £30,000 or £35,000 a year. Now, if they gave the water asked for to the insurance companies they might as well have the gas company coming to them and saying that they wanted their coals for nothing. [Loud cheers.] They should ask the City Council to do this—to protect the inestimable blessing of the artesian water, so as the households might be supplied there-

from. Then let the Council use bo much of the River Avon aa was necessary to purify their drains so as to preserve the public health. Lot them leave the subject of fire prevention alone, because if they rated the citizens to give the insurance companies more security they would betaking money out of the pockets of citizens to increase their dividends. [Cheers.] He said the insurance companies had no right to ask the city to do this. [Cheers.] What did the city do for them now? Why they paid for the support of the Fire Br'gade, a noble body of men who would do all that could be done by men to save property. They were now paying for this nearly i per cent, on the whole rateable value of the city property, because they were paying £ISOO a year for the maintenance of the Fire Brigade. [Cheers.] What he wanted them to understand was that there was no need for the City Council indoctrinating these extravagant water supply schemes. It would be much better if they would endeavor to lead the citizens to become simple-minded in these matters, and give them simple-minded schemes (cheers), instead of going in for these extravagant schemes, costing thousands. He was surprised to see th f the Corporation—who he saw around him, many of them looking very lean, like then sole mes— [Cheers] had not come down with a simple scheme for water supply, saying, “ This is the scheme we pin our faith to ; if you don’t agree to it we will resign our trust into your hands and allow you to appoint our successors.” [Cheers.] The scheme, to his mind, partook very much of an Oxford mixture, neither one thing nor another, and if they could make anything of it, it was more than he could. [Oheere.] He should conclude by moving the resolution he had read. [Cheers]. Mr W. M. Maskell seconded the resolution. He thought the Council in dealing with this matter had began at the wrong end, os they had not first asked the people of Christchurch if they wanted it. The people who were in favor of this scheme were divided into three classes. The first of those was the engineers, who, of course, would support a scheme requiring large plans. The next class was the insurance people, who of course could not be expected to look upon this matter from a philanthropic point of view. It was not fair, he contended, to rate persons heavily who insured to protect the property of those who would not protect themselves. The third class was some of the members of the Corporation, who had a very natural desire to spend large sums of money. [Cheers.] He agreed with Mr Ollivier as to the desirableness of using the River Avon for flushing purposes, because it seemed to him an absurdity to go out of the city ten, fifteen, or twenty miles to get what was within a few hundred yards of any part of the city. As regarded fire prevention it was said that there was not sufficient water to enable the fire brigade to cope with fires efficiently. He remembered being at a fire in Cashel street some two years ago when there was, by means of tanks and the river, water all round it, but he noticed that the hose of t“e engines was leaking so badly that one could not stand near it. He said this without tho least disparagement to the Fire Brigade, but merely to show that if the plant were perhaps improved there was no need to go to the Waimakariri for water. He trusted the City Council would take particular care to carry out the last recommendation of the resolution, as the gutters were not a credit to the city. If the river were tapped at the Carlton and near the Hospital, and some syphons or tanks procured, or some other cheap system introduced, their gutters would be much better attended to than at present. [Cheers ] Councillor Ayers said that Mr Maskell was wrong in saying that the.Corporationhad begun at the wrong end. [A voice : “ So you have.”] He remembered some two years ago a very influential committee being appointed to consider this very question of water supply. [A voice : “ Not ratepayers,” and “ We were not so bard up then.”] Well, it did not matter whether it was the ratepayers or not, the committee of the leading citizens had remitted the matter to the Council. They had simply done their duty by putting before the ratepayers the best schemes they could get. As regarded Mr Ollivier’s remark about the cost of the Fire Brigade, he might say that if the Brigade was done away with they would soon have to pay largely increased premiums for fire insurance. [Mr Ollivier : “ Let them try it.”] Well, he might tell them thattSe report of the Standard Fire Insurance Company stated that, owing to keen competition and the very perfect water supply instituted in some of the cities of New Zealand, they could make no profit. lie challenged anyone to say that the insurance companies wanted a water scheme, they were afraid of it, and refused to give the committee any information as to the reduction likely to occur in premiums. Why when the very inefficient water supply scheme was introduced in Lyttelton, the insurance rates were reduced 12£ per cent., and when the efficient scheme was carried out in Melbourne, it resulted in a reduction of 40 per cent. He contended that the ratepayers would save £1 15s in the £IOO of premiums. He felt this, that the period of depression now existing had a great deal to do with the public feeling as to this water supply. Had it come forward win n matters were more cheerful, he believed they would not look at it from the standpoint they did. Why was it that they looked at this scheme from such a gloomy stand point f He would prove to them that water had been brought from far greater distances by quite as expensive a scheme which had returned a revenue of some 7 or 10 per cent. IE they could not only get their property better protected from fire but also have an addition to their receipts by revenue from water supply, they would not then regard it from so gloomy a point of view as his friends Mr Maskell and Mr Ollivier wished them to do. [A voice*: “We don’t want the scheme at all.”] No dewbt there would be gentlemen addressing them later on who would bring facts and figures to prove that a revenue would be derived from the water supply. [No, no j and cheers,] Mr H. E Alport said that they were met on a moat important question, and should not hurriedly adopt any resolution which might be brought before them. Ho trusted, therefore, that they would postpone this matter to another meeting. f“ No, no.”] Well, he had a memorandum in his hand which stated that Mr Clark had twenty-five competitors with him. Now, they had not heard anything of the designs of the twenty-five competitors. [Mr Ollivier : “ More shame for the City Council.”] The Mayor said that he had heard some one say, “ More shame for the City Council.” Now, he could not sit there without saying one word in defence of the City Council. The twenty.five schemes were submitted to Mr Clark, the eminent engineer, and he had thrown all of them out. Mr Ollivier—l said more shame to the City Council, and I now say this that more shame for the City Council that they have not better instructed the gentleman who appears aa their advocate. [Laughter and cheers.] Mr Alport proceeded to say that the twenty-five schemes should have been embodied in a small volume and laid before the ratepayers. [Laughter.] Kowts opposed to the expenditure of so large a sum of money as this on such a scheme. [Cheers ] What he desired to see was that the artesian supply under their feet should be utilised for household purposes. [Cheers.] He did not think that the fire insurance companies would help them in the least, but what they wanted was a flushing power. The Drainage Board were laying down drains under their streets, which would, he believed, be a prolific source of disease unless they were kept flushed, and he noticed that the engineer to the Drainage Board recommended flushing from the Avon. He urged the postponement of the meeting. [A Voice—“ Oh, no ; we’ve made up our minds.”] Well, if they had made up their minds they need say no more. Ho would point out as regarded the reticulation of the city, that it would cost, as proposed now, some £SOOO to get the water up to some houses not worth more than £3OO or £4OO each. This, he thought, was ridiculous. Thus he thought they should confine their fire prevention scheme to the centre of the city, where the very large and valuable properties wore situate. Again, when they wore prepared to go into a water scheme they they should include all the districts of St. Albans, &c. They were asked here, in a village of 14,000 inhabitants, to have a scheme from which a city of 100,000 inhabitants would shrink. Ho would move aa an amendment—“ That this meeting stand adjourned for three months, to give the City Council an opportunity of preparing a proper scheme. [Cries ot “ No, no,” and “ They can’t do it.”] Cr Oherrill said that the resolution of Mr Ollivier included the drawing of a supply from the river Avon. Now this would neces sitate tPe use of a pump, and beyond tins either they would have to take up the

channels, and lay them at such a level as the water would flow—[hisses and interruption] —or to reticulate the city with pipes. Now this could not be done under £50,000. The cost of the pump would involve the imposition of a rate of lid in the £. [A Voice—- “ That’s not lid in the £.”] The alternative scheme was one by turbine power, utilising the artesian supply, which would ensure a reduction of fire premiums, a revenue from the sale of water, and when this was taken into consideration, he thought they would find that a scheme for using the Avon water for flushing purposes only would cost more than the alternative scheme, with all its advantages. [“ No, no.”] He claimed for the water supply committee that they had honestly laid before the ratepayers the scheme best calculated for the interests of the city. Now if the ratepayers did not desire any scheme, it was a pity they had not said so before. [A Voice—“We had no chance.”] Well, he contended that both in the public Press and in other ways the Council had been asked for a water supply scheme, and the committee had only endeavoured to do their duty.

Mr Superintendent Harris said that ho was strongly in favor of a water supply scheme, because it was for the interests of the city. If they had the city reticulated, and did away with their engines affixing their hose to the mains, they would save money during the year. [Cheers.] In a city in America where this was not done, the insurance companies had given notice of an increase of 10 per cent, on fire premiums, a sum which would have paid two years’ interest and sinking fund. He was glad to hear praise of the Fire Brigade, but he might say that the time would come when it would be utterly impossible for it to do what was expected of it. [“No, no.”] Well, it was ten years since they had had any addition to their Fire Brigade plant, either in men or engines, except renewals. Now he contended that the residents near the Carlton and other parts of the city had a right to have the services of the fire brigade as speedily as possible. Now, at present there would be a loss of some ton or fifteen minutes, whereas, if they had reticulation they would be enabled to have a fire under control in a few minutes. Ho would cite the case of London, where the rate of insurance had gone down 50 per cent, below what it was before the Government took over the fire brigades from the insurance companies. He wos one of those who believed that the present Government should have taken over fire as they had life insurance, when they would have been well protected at a low rate of premium. [Hear, hear.] He also believed that the Corporation should have the gaslighting of the city in their own hands. [Cheers] As this met with such approval, he would just ask why, if they did not approve of gas being supplied by a private company, they wanted the supply of water to be done by private enterprise. [Hear, hear.] They had plenty of water, it was true, but they wanted machinery to utilize it. Or. Gapes said it was well understood that he had been opposed to this large and expensive scheme from the first, the more so as he could not see how they were going to meet the interest and sinking fund, as I hey were precluded by the Act from rating more than 4 per cent, on the whole ratepayers. Now, they could not expect to have to pay less than 6 per cent, for interest and sinking fund, and where wore they going to got the balance. [Cheers.] They could not do it without a special Act enabling them to rate up to the full amount required to meet interest and sinking fund. He thought that some of his colleagues had not considered this subject so closely as he had, or they would not be quite so enthusiastic about it. [Cheers and laughter.] Ho would road them what he suggested when he first became a member of the water supply committee. [The speaker then read the resolutions proposed by him at a meeting of the water supply committee.] This ho thought would have formed a very good temporary scheme, allowing the Council to enlarge upon it at any time if they thought fit.

Mr Ollivier, in reply, said that he only wished to say a few words. It was very curious, somewhat remarkable, that at such an important meeting, summoned by tbe City Council to consider two schemes for the supply of water to the city they had not heard a word about either from any member of the City Council. The professional men —the authors of those schemes—might well exclaim, “Save me from my friends.” [Cheers.] Indeed, he never remembered so signal an instance of treating the authors of these schemes with contempt by the City Council. It reminded him of the anecdote of the sween who was elated by the circumstance of the Duke of York having addressed him. On being asked what his Royal Highness had said to him, the sweep replied that ho had been told to get out of the way. [Cheers.] Well, they would see this was better than nothing, and he thought that the illustrious authors of those gigantic schemes would have been better satisfied if the City Council had said, “ Here are tbe schemes; they are utterly bad ; but there they are.” [Cheers.] This would have been better than the silence and contempt with which the illustrious authors of these schemes had been treated by the City Council that night. [Cheers.] He contended that the remarks of Ora. Ayers and Oherrill wore entirely beside the point, and they would find that they had quite enough to do for the next twenty years to keep their streets and drains clean, and to preserve the health of the city. [Cheers.] He would now ask them to pass his resolution unanimously. The resolution was then put and carried almost unanimously, only a few hands being held up against it. The Mayor said that the resolution being carried would not interfere with the polling. Mr Cass wished to address the meeting on the question. Was it their wish to hear him ? ["No, no.”] Mr Alport’s amendment was not seconded. Mr Cass attempted to get a hearing, but was received with cheers and hisses. Mr Ollivier asked whether it was not necessary that a poll should be demanded. The Mayor replied in the negative. Or. Cuff demanded a poll, in order to put the matter at rest.

The Town Clerk read the section of the Act, The Mayor said ho should give notice that a poll would be held, because it was only right that such an important question should go before the whole of the ratepayers for their decision. [Cheers.] Mr Ollivier then asked if the Mayor would include the resolution passed that evening in the notice of poll ? The Mayor said he would act in this matter as legally advised. He might say that Mr Cass was very persistent in asking him to read a resolution which he had desired to bring forward. It was to the effect that it was undesirable in the present depressed state of trade to go into so large a scheme as that proposed by the Council, but that it might be taken up at some future period. The consideration of the propositions of the Council aa to municipal buildings was then taken np. Mr Ollivier, who was received with loud cheers, said that at one time he should have been glad to have joined in to get one or other of those very handsome edifices they saw before them erected. But this being pecuniarily impossible, it became necessary to take the most economical scheme. The Resident Magistrate’s Court would revert to the City Council shortly, and they already had the Old Post-office. Between those two buildings —[Laughter]—they might continue to have municipal buildings without expending £SOOO by transposing the whole building now partly occupied by the Resident Magistrate’s Court. Economy was the order of the day, and he should most emphatically go in for the cheapest scheme before them. As they were going to have a plebiscite, they must vote on one of those schemes laid before them, and they could not vote upon one which he would propose which would be both cheap and effective, because it was not within the regulations. Ho would move—“ That tho scheme to be adopted be the one limiting the expenditure to within £5000.” [Cheers] Or. Cuff seconded the resolution. It was all very well for Mr Ollivier to come there that night and make tho City Council a laughing stock, [Laughter.] Mr Ollivier could laugh, and they could laugh with him, but he thought he had been too hard on t.'.e Council, the more bo as they had been told by the members of the Council that they were only bringing forward the schemes they thought best for the interests of the ratepayers. Tho present buildings were most inconvenient, and it was impossible for tho clerks to do their work in them. [Cheers.] Something must bo done, but he was not in favor of any scheme costing thousands, as they did not want it, nor could they afford it. [Cheers.] The motion was then put and agreed to I with three dissentients. Mr Ollivier then moved tho adoption of

the recommendation of the Council for a loan for the completion of side channelling. Cr. Gapes seconded the motion, and hoped the citizens would carry it —[Cheers] —as it would be the means of increasing very largely the health of the citizens. When the side channelling was first done their rate of health stood higher, or as high as any city in the colony. Since, from want of funds, the channelling had been stopped, the health rate of the city had become very bad ; therefore he trusted they would carry this resolution at the poll. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. The question of raising a loan for paying off the loan now existing was next considered. Or. Cuff explained that it was necessary that the old loan should be paid off before the new one was raised. It would not make any increase in their loan as a whole. The proposal was then put and carried on the motion of Mr Ollivier. A vote of thanks to the Mayor and Council concluded the meeting.