THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1927. BOROUGH MAIN STREETS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5183, 26 September 1927, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1927. BOROUGH MAIN STREETS.

The progress of the Borough of Paeroa during the last two years has been patent not only to local residents, but also, and more particularly, to visitors to the town. There has been.no mushroom growth, but rather a steady, solid progress. In order that the advancement may b e maintained and increased it is desirable that the main highways; leading into- the town should be brought, up to a standard in comparison with the advancement ip the borough. Fully appreciative of the position, it was with courage and resourcefulness that the Borough 1 Council, approached the Local Bodies Loans Board with specifications, and estimates and sought permission.to raise a loan of £4500 for the reconstruction of main streets. That the board has approved of the loan being submitted to the ratepayers is tangible proof of the soundness of the proposed work to be done, and is also a tribute to the Mayor (Mr W- Marshall) for his sensible and businesslike method of dealing with the problem. In view of the fact that thei proposed work and expenditure has been approved of by the highest engineering authorities in the Dominion, and has the full approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, who, incidentally, is chairman of the Local Bodies Loans Board,' we have no hesitation in commending the loan proposal to ratepayers. Further, experience, expensively bought, has shown that in view of the large rainfall area, and the enormous increase in motor traffic, the only practicable and lasting way of maintaining our highways is by the bitumensealing methods. With reference to the fact that the loan is for a. term of fifteen years, this may cause apprehension in the minds of some people, but when it is bonsidered that the work to be done will outlive the loan by many years, and also that shorterdated loans have come to stay in the Dominion, obviously, if special rates were reduced the general rate would increase. The proposed security for the repayment of the loan, on which was stipulated interest at, 6 per cent., with a sinking fund of 5 per cent., ia a rate of thirteen-sixteenths of a penny in the £. The interest and sinking fund bn the £4500 will amount to about £495 a year, while the annual maintenance is estimated at £5OO, making the total annual charges £995. This year the council hast earmarked £900" for maintenance of main highways, so; that the annual charges of th® proposed loan, including maintenance, will be approximately only £lOO more than the current year’s maintenance. The saving of maintenance charges can be capitalised so as to reduce the loan. It should be realised, 'however, that it is only possible to put the scheme in hand and save the greater expenditure provided the ratepayers authorise the raising of the loan. With the carrying of the loan the borough will have good main streets and ratepayers will have little, if any, increase on the cost of maintenance on bad streets or macadam water-bound streets if motor traffic increases, as it surely will. The whole of the loan will be expended within the borough, and the wages paid- will be at the award rates. The existing condition of the main streets is an unsatisfactory one, and the present method of maintenance of them is wasteful and expensive., and contains no promise of an improvement. Instead, there is; a certain prospective increase in maintenancecharges if the streets are not sealed this summer. The proposal is; sound from every viewpoint, and ratepayers may safely accept the responsibility of carrying the additional debt.