CITY DIFFICULTIES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4324, 29 January 1875, Page 3

CITY DIFFICULTIES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—lt appears to me that our City Council have got themselves into that state which we sometimes hear of in India, that is, they a.e ‘'ready to run a-muck.” There is no doubt it is very perplexing to , be over head and ears in debt: bat why are they in * that state ? Except you can discover the disease, I don’t know you can apply the remedy. If you go back three years you will find that iho city was not m debt more than two or three thousand pounds ; there has been tew new streets made since then, and very little done at the sewerage. The footpaths, except the reclaimed land, were mostly kerbed and asphalted; however, there has been but little dmo since in that line. At that time the Council purchased the wharf and reclaimed laud from the Provincial Government for £50,000, which was borrowed on the city rates. At that time they were warned that they were purchasing a white elephant, especially so far as the wharf was concerned. Whether the prediction was true or not, I must leave the citizens to jud"e. At all events the elephant is unmanageable ; but enough of this. What we want is, some remedy lor the present state of things. The utmost the rent of the wharf and reclaimed land could do would he to keep the present wharf in repair; while the necessity for double the accommodation has arisen, and it is of the utmost concern to the port that it should be provided. The taxes are already as mnch as the people will bear, and they are mortgaged for the above mentioned purchase, and for water supply some £70,0 00 ; and it will take £25,000 more before the water works are sufficient to supply the city properly, and there will be wanted at least £150.000 for drainage and sewerage; and money for these purposes m nst be got to secure the cleanliness and health of the city, and all this is legitimate municipal work. The fact is, the Council became too large ail at once. You remember the fable of the frog and the ox. Still, I think tilings are not so bad but they may he remedied. I have considered the matter in all its bearings, and have come to this conclusion : That the Council should make an offer of the wharf and Custom House Quay to the General Government for the terminus of-the railways of the province, and ask the Government at the same time to free the already reclaimed land from its present debt, and for leave to sell the present leasehold, for which they would get a first rate price from the occupiers. Tile money so obtained would release them from their present difficulties, and the Government, for their own benefit, would provide sufficient wharf accommodation, and all difficulties would be removed, so that the railway terminus may be made suitable for the great increase of business when the railways open up the country. And then, the rates would be partly released, so that money may he borrowed for water and drainage.—l am, Ac , John Flimsier.