THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1921. THE DRAINAGE LOAN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4321, 23 September 1921, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1921. THE DRAINAGE LOAN.

The Paeroa Borough Council is to be congratulated upon its successful effort.to secure an instalment 'of £lO,OOO on the Drainage Loan, thanks to the sending of a deputation, consisting of His Worship the Mayor (Mr P. E. Brenan) and.the chairman of the. Finance Committee (Cr. W. Marshall), to Wellington, and to the able assistance and guidance given by Mr H. Poland, M.P. for Ohinemuri. It transpires that a special meeting of the Council was held on Tuesday night to consider various matters, in respect to the loan, the business being mainly on the lines of the following report by the deputation to the Council:

We interviewed the State Advances Department, and they require jus to rescind the resolution striking the %d rate as security for the first installment of £BOOO, and .th®.resolution striking v ld rate as security for the second installment of £lO,OOO, and to pass a resolution striking a rate sufficient to cover the whole drainage loan and a separate rate to cover'the whole roading loan. This is the regular proceeding and the fact that the first installment, was granted on a part rate was due to an oversight of the full facts.

With reference to the proposal to treat the first installment as part of the sewerage loan only, we pointed out that approximately £lOOO has been spent on roading in the preliminary expenses; and to get over this it was agreed to make two fresh proposals : (1) For £9OOO for drainage purposes; (2) for £lOOO for roading purposes. Ip this connexion, also, we wpuld point out that it is absolutely necessary to secure a portion of this loan, because if no part is raised our authority from the ratepayers Would lapse in two years, which would be next February. We recommend that a drainage loan 4%d in the £ be struck and a roading loan rate of l%d. These will be ample and acceptable to the Department. Of course, the .amount collected would only require to be sufficient to meet interest and sinking fund on the installments raised. We are assured by the Department that if these resolutions are passed, and separate sealed copies in duplicate forwarded at once, they will be 1 placed before the Board on Monday next, and after they are gazetted the £lO.OOO installment will be available. We definitely understand that the full amount should be ,to hand in two or thr;ee weeks’ time. This is satisfactory, we think, because all local body grants have been cut down to £5OOO per annum, which will be the largest amount we can possibly get in any one year in future until the limit is increased.

We made urgent representations in reference to the next year’s installments, and were advised to put the application ,in during next March, and were assured that at present there did not appear 'to be any reason why it should not be available in April next. And also that there did not appear to. be any reason why we should not continue to get at 'least the £5OOO per .annum, and more if the limit was raised. It is desirable to confine our borrowing to the State Advances Department, because the interest is low, being only 4% per cent. With reference to the domain loan, we

approached the State Advances, but they cannot entertain a proposal for that purpose. We also interviewed the Public Trustee, who would not listen to the request, and .assured us it would be absolutely impossible to secure it from .the State Life Insurance or any Government Department. In these days of need it is looked upon as a luxury, and we realised it was absolutely impossible to secure this loan in Wellington on the terms we are limited to.

We wish to place on record our appreciation of the assistance given us by Mr Poland, who materially aided us by introduction .and his help.

Needless to say, the recommendations made in the above report were agreed to, and will be given effect to. Paeroa is undoubtedly on the threshold of substantial progress, and it is highly gratifying to be able to feel assured that proper drainage and sanitation facilities will be in existence before the population increases considerably. Good health conditions and good roads will de. much for the comfort, convenience, safety, and utility of the growing community, and will materially assist in the progress and prosperity of the town.