THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1925. BOROUGH OFFICES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4860, 3 August 1925, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1925. BOROUGH OFFICES.

—* It may not be out of place to again direct the ratepayers' attention to the poll that is tp be held on Wednesday next for the purpose of giving authority to the Borough Council to raise a loan of £2OOO. The object of the loan is to build suitable offices in which to house the Council and officials. As pointed out in our last issue, these offices are urgently required, and any ratepayers following the Council’s work must admit this statement. Anonymous correspondence is hot usually allowed just before the taking of any poll, but we have purposely given those opposed to the scheme that privilege with the object, of explaining the points raised. “Ratepayer” suggests in our last issue that the water charges should be reduced and the issue then, decided bn its merits. To this we must say that the water charges do not wholly rest on the shoulders of the ratepayers. It is a commodity that* the consumer pays for in the same way as he does for electric light or gas. In P,aeroa the water is considerably cheaper than in most towns in the Dominion—•, indeed, it is only half the price cnarged in many towns. For instance, a five-roomed house having wash-house and bathroom and patent w.c. amounts te. £1 17s 6d a year, and without the sewerage £1 7s 6d. In quite a large number of eases the water is paid tor by those other than ratepayers—for instance, the Railway Settlement, and all Government houses and buildings. A reduction in water charges would,, therefore, be to the detriment of tne .ratepayers..

Dealing with "A Ratepayer’s'” letter in this fesue, we must say that nowhere in the circular is it stated that it would cost the ratepayers nothing. •On the contrary, it is stated that it is necessary to find an additional £BB a year. Secondly, the only additional expense for the building could, by law, be an addition of 10 per cent.,and it cannot possibly be increased’ without further authority from tne? ratepayers. In regard to the furniture, a little money might be needed)

for this purpose, but not .any amount that would in anyway interfere or hamper the Council in carrying out maintenance work. There has been no suggestion of going in for elaborate furnishings. In stating t ; hat in 3636 years the office would cost £5llO, the objector loses sight entirely of the fact that there must be an annual expense out of revenue for office accommodation, and the true facts aie that the £l4O a year not only pays office rent, but purchases a building which will be an asset. Paying ren* at the present rate —which must be increased —there will be an expenditure of £lB9B ill the 3636 years. This sum would be entirely lost to tne ratepayers. The portion referring to the collecting of the rate by succeeding Councils is a matter entirely in the hands of the ratepayers, who can see to it that .a Council isi returned that will not levy the rate. Negotiations have been entered into with the Public works Department for the removal of the soil, and it is anticipated that it will be removed without cost to the ratepayers, and, possibly, the whole b.ank on the adjacent properties will be removed. In reference to the residents in the back streets, a perusal of the “Gazettes” report of the last council meeting will show that the Council has made arrangements for metalling practically every residential street during the coming summer. The point raised by "Another Ratepayer” is easily answered. In the first place, it is proposed to raise only a portion of the £6OOO loan. To date tlie sum' of only £2OOO has been raised, which requires £l4O for interest and sinking fund. Thus it will be seen that the interest and sinking fund out of the proposed loan amount only to an additional £BB, as the Council is- already paying £52. If a further £2OOO were required immediately the water account would still carry it, and if further amounts were required it would mean a greater consumption of water in the town, with a corresponding rate of increased revenue. The water supply is the only profitable undertaking the J-ate-payers possess, and the Council is following a sound and recognised principle in transferring accumulated ‘surplus from time to time from the water account to the general account. We have been shown the proposed plan, and consider it will fill the needs and can be erected for tne money quoted. It is hoped that the proposal will be carried, and thus show our confidence in the Mayor and Council, and also in cur town of Paeroa.