PROPOSED LOANS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4789, 15 December 1924, Page 3

PROPOSED LOANS.

I‘AEKOA PUBLIC MEETING. Little interest was manifested by the ratepayers in the public meeting called for Friday night last, only about thirty being present. The meeting was presided over by His Worship the Mayoi, councillors also being present. Mr Marshall said that the meeting was called for the purpose of discussing certain loan proposals which the council had thought fit to place before the ratepayers. To the best of its ability the council had dealt with matters of importance, and now called upon the ratepayers to decide the questions. He regretted that out of 592 persons entitled to exercise thicr votes only such a small muster was present. It wan a matter of very great regret that such a small number of ratepayers took an active interest in the affairs of the townThe first proposal, said His Worship, was for a loan of £6OOO for the purpose of enlarging, renewing, and extending the water mains and reticulation in the borough. The water rights were purchased from the Ohinemuri County Council for £l5OO in 1920, and that amout had been paid off and the whole of the reticulation and mains were the property of the borough and about £lOOO will have accumulated by March next. The headworks is the responsibility of the county council, the borough paying for the water at the borough boundary at the rate of £3OO per annum. All that the borough was concerned about was to get a good supply. The county was now considering the question of bringing in another ci’eek to supplement the present supply, and there was every possibility of this being done. The borough, of*course, would have to pay something more, but when the work was accomplished and the improvements made the supply, would be more than adequate for Paeron for many years to come. There was no doubt that Paeroa had excellent water, and cheap, the eoist being about fiVad a week for a five-roomed house.

The mains at present were totally inadequate, said the Mayor. The Railway Department was a large consumer, and would in a few yeais, when the Paeroa-Pokeno connection was made, be a very large conswmer indeed. It was imperative that this should be provided for. The supply to Thames Road was wholly inadequate, and it was necessary that some better provision for fire-fighting be made. When this ’was done there would be in all probability a lower fire insurance rate. The prevision of a 4 in main would give a bigger security. The present surplus was not sufficient to pay for the necessary work, but he was quite sure that the revenue produced would be sufficient to guarantee that there would never be a rate collected. The- proposition would, as in the pkst, be self-support-ing. He questioned if any town in the Dominion had such a good water supply at Paeroa, and as cheap. Even at such a small charge, it was selfsupporting.

The most urgent works required out of this loan, said His Worship, were: A new 4in main in Arney Street (Thames Road) as far as Station Road; new 2in main from the racecourse gates to the boundary of the borough ;. new 4in main in Station Road to Thames Road ; new 4in main in Hill Street to Cullen Street, and to supply new railway station; new 2in mains in Russell Street adn part of Willoughby Street, and connecting with Wood Street; also George Street, Kennedy Street; and renew the 2in main in the old Te Aroha road. SEWER CONNECTIONS.

The proposal for a loan of £2OOO for the purpose of assisting ratepayers io connect with the sewers was another important matter, continued the speaker. Up .to the , present loan monew to the tune of £33,000 had been spent to provide sewerage for Paeroa. In the interest of public health they were forced to go in for this improvement. As near as he could find out there were 322 premises reticulated to date and 132 connected with the the Public Health Act to compel the sewer. The council had power under people to connect with the sewer, but the council did not like to use its authoiity because it would be harsh on some people who could not; finance their connections; hence the necessitv of the loan. There were 190 not connected, but he did jnot think that all would want assistance. It was essential for the health of the community that the connections should be made. If Paeroa wag to go ahead these improvements had to be made. The proposal would not require any rate to be collected, as, like the proposal for the water supply, it would be self-supporting. He hoped that all ratepayers would exercise their votes as an indication that some interest was being manifested in the town.

In reply to a quest ion as to when the work of improving the water would be commenced if the loan was carried. His Wonship said that it -would be proceeded with as soon as the sancition of the Minister was obtained to borrow at a reasonable rate. “.Will Lockie Gannon be employed ?” asked a ratepayer. The Mayor: No. The council thinks that the present staff can carry out tne work without the cost of an engineer.

Mr O’Neill moved that this meeting put on. record its appreciation! of the thorough manner in which the proposals have been placed before the ratepayers by Mr Marehall, and that it approves of the proposals. Seconded by Mr E. Shaw and carried unanimously.