PATEA BOROUGH LOAN.

Patea Mail, 29 May 1882, Page 3

PATEA BOROUGH LOAN.

PUBLIC MEETING. A large meeting of ratepayers was held on Saturday evening, in the Harmonic Hall, to consider the proposed loan of £5,000 for borough improvements, preparatory to a vote by ballot on the scheme at a future day. The meeting was called for 7 o’clock, but did not commence till half an hour later, when the attendance was moderately numerous, and increased gradually until the meeting became large.

MAYOR’S STATEMENT. The Mayor, who presided in accordance with the Act, explained that much time had , been consumed in taking the necessary surveys, before the Engineer could present his report with estimates on the best means of expending £5,000 on the works proposed to be undertaken. The policy of borrowing for such works had been affirmed repeatedly by the rate ; payers in previous years. I ask yon now (he continued) to consider the present proposal in its broad aspect, that of doing the'greatest good to the greatest number. The proposal was submitted to you at the late election, to borrow £5,000 on security of the borough rents, with a rate not exceeding Is in the pound as a collateral security to bondholders. The rents from reserves set aside originally for improvement purposes will be sufficient to pay interest on this loan at 6 per cent., leaving the rate free .as it is now ; but a special rate as. a collateral security will enable the loan to be raised on easier terms than by offering the rents alone. It is not proposed to strike any extra rate. I believe the loan will float easily at 6 per cent, on this security ; and that will leave the current revenue of the borough for expenditure on ordinary works from time to time. It will in fact leave about £IOOO a year to expend on other streets. It is proposed to allot the loan in this manner £2,512 6s to be spent on works in Bedford, Egmont (south), Cornwall, Cambridge, Leicester, and Kent street; also €2,255 10s oh drainage works in Egmont (north and south), Leicester, Bedford, and Lincoln streets ; leaving £232 4s available for purchasing a water righV with a view to a future, supply for the town. As regards street, formation, it is proposed to construct Bedford street to the full width of a chain, with an easy grade. The Engineer has prepared a plan of that main approach to the town with as easy a grade as- could be given for the available expenditure, having regard to the levels of other streets connecting with Bedford street. The Council directed that the Engineer should receive his instructions jointly from the Mayor and the chairman of the Works Committee ; and having received these instructions, I think he has carried them out very well. As regards Bedford street, the time has ar rived when we, should take steps to connect the town with the railway, which in : a short time will he opened at least as far as Mantitahi; and by that time we ought certainly to be connected with the railway station by as easy a means as we can within reason. The expenditure proposed for that; is considerable; bat we must have one good approach to the town, and that is the street which has always been considered the main street, and in which properties were purchased in that belief. It is the most suitable approach to the town, and in every respect is the first street which should be well made. It is proposed to form Egmont-street south as far as the cricket ground, removing the sand for’ levelling up Bedford-street: in the remainder of Egmont-street south it is proposed to carry the drainage of the town, laying a pipe to discharge the drainage on the sand within a few chains of the see, for reclaiming some of the sandy waste near the head. Along the line of drainage it is proposed to clear a track 16 feet wide and clay it over, to serve as a road to the l north head. As to Cornwall street and the other streets, it is proposed to make them passable for diverting the traffic from Bedford-street; bringing it up past Gibson’s store into the main street, until the traffic can again go along Bedford street when the new level is ready. Having referred to the proposed line of drainage, and the necessity for securing a water right suitable for the town before the price became excessive, he said : Taking the surrounding circumstances of this town, I think we are thoroughly justified in borrowing £5,000. The approaching completion of the railway, a very large land sale, the opening up of the back country,

and the exploration of the Patea river with the object of making an inland settlement ; and I may add as another matter of great importance the improvement of the harbor: these all seem to point to a march of progress ; and we should be wanting in bur duty to ourselves if we did not join in making the town take the position it is fairly entitled to. lam aware there.has been some opposition to this scheme. A fair and healthy opposition is the salt of local as well as general politics. Let this be a fair and open opposition, one that can be met in a proper spirit, and no one can complain. Butif facts should be distorted, then that will not be a healthy opposition. I believe it was contemplated by the Act that all ratepayers should have a full opportunity of giving expression to their opinions. I think this scheme is the best that can be devised for the present. You will not feel this loan in the slightest degree, because you are receiving £330 a year from rents at present, without touching rates. That amount will cover the interest on £6,000 ; and if the borough cannot pay off that loan in five years, the' sooner we all leave it the better. I believe the town will bo able to do much more ; that a loan of £50,000 in ten years will not hurt it. The splendid endowment that has been set aside specially:for town improvement purposes affords one of the safest bases you could rely upon, for borrowing. If you were asked to pay a shilling rate for this loan, it ■would be a splendid investment; but the rate, as I said, is required only as a collateral security. It is part-'of my duty to answer any questions on this matter, and I will now invite discussion.

QUESTIONS AND POINTS OP LAW. Councillor Milroy : Do you contemplate providing a sinking fund ? Mayor: No. Councillor Milroy : Then how do you propose paying it back ?

Mayor: The Act provides, that this loan can be raised without a sinking fundThe Council can at any future time borrow again to pay off an existing loan,; I believe that in ten years we shall look back on this as a puny effort, and say we are a slow-going people. Mr Barker : In what way does the Act provide for the taking of votes,after this meeting—by valuation or single votes ? Mayor : According to value, same as at election of Councillors.

Mr Dale : I understood you to say that in addition to this loan, there is a thousand per annum for expenditure on other streets. Is that a fact?

Mayor ; Yes ; and I am not in the habit of making statements that are not facts. The revenue shown by the balance-sheet is £1,328.

Mr Dale : But that includes the rents from reserves. Did not this meeting understand that the rents would go towards the payment of interest, and that there would be about £I,OOO a year left for expenditure on streets? Do not tho salaries and other, expenses have to be paid out of that £,IOOO ?

Mayor: No. ' Mr Dale: Then what will these come out of ?

Mayor: Previous to the borough being established, I think the revenue was between £6OO and £7OO a year. Since then it is £1,328 ; and I am well within the mark in saying you will have £I,OOO to spend annually. I should be within the mark if I said more. Here we are looking forward. Thi® l° an covers 10 years, and I look over the intervening period. Mr Dale: In the estimated revenue, is any amount included as Government subsidy ? . Mayor: No. OPPOSITION from COUNCILLORS. Councillor Aitchison ; It gives me great pain to disagree with his Worship tonight. As a Councillor, in the interest .of. the public I am bound to go against this scheme ; and as a citizen, in my own’ interest., I am bound to go against, it. We are all more or less selfish. I fail altogether to see how this is to be a progress step. We should only waste £5,000, and scarcely derive £1 a year more revenue. Tho Mayor has said the street which is intended to absorb the hulk of the loan was intended to be the main street. If any one will look at the Engineer’s plans, as prepared by the instruction, not of t he Council, but’of the Mayor, it will be seen that the plan of Bedford street would utterly ruin it for building purposes, except at the two ends. The Engineer seems to have met the wishes of the ovyners of property at the top and bottom of the street, but he deliberately leaves out all the middle sections—(Voice : Where you live)—know-

that he was deliberately ruiningthe whole of the middle sections. (“Question.”)

Mayor: Let Mr Aitchison have ; a fair hearing. Councillor Aitchison : I will give you one instance of the properties so carefully looked after by the Mayor and the Engineer. There is one property situated on *a corner section, and the plan shows a filling in front of 7 or 8 feet, and the cross street passing the corner shows a nice little filling of about 15 That is keeping in view the interests of that property with a vengeance.

Cr Taplin : Just enough' for a lower storey. Or Aitchison ; The money is intended to be spent on streets that will scarcely improve : anybody’s property ; nor ,is it likely to bring one additional resident to our town, nor a pound more revenue. The draining scheme is a different matter. It is a crying shome to allow water to-run on to private properties, ■as at present ; but it does not require £5,000 to take away that water. I cannot understand his Worship’s statement about £IOOO ayear being available for. expenditure. Allowing that the rents cover the interest on loan, we have salaries running on that will more than absorb all the rates at Is in the pound J Where is our thousand of pounds to come from after that.? We have a ; little from licenses, which will berequired for Incidental expenses. Of course an increase of population would do a great deal ; and if anyone can convince me that the hacking to pieces of these [side streets will bring an increase of popuation, then I will withdraw ray opposition to the scheme but failing that, I must oppose it to the end. As to spending £SOO on Egraont-street South, it is an utter waste of money to attempt to form a street down there at present. Some of you may not be aware that the Act does not allow us to mix the water question in this borrowing scheme. I consider the Mayor would do a far greater benefit to this town, to promote this borrowing of £5,000, and distribute it to the ratepayers prorata. (Laughter.)

Mr Barker asked whether the scheme had been approved by the Council, according to the Act, before this meeting was called to consider it.

Mayor : The Council passed a resolution that this wbrk : should be undertaken. They employed an Engineer to prepare plans. Those plans were laid before' the Council ;, and according to the strict letter of the Act, they were to come before the ratepayers. The plans are here. There is no record on the 'minute book that these plans have been objected to at all.

. 'Mr Barker asked whether the scheme had been approved by the Council according to the Act, before this meeting was called to consider it.

Mayor: The Council passed a resolution that this work should be undertaken. They employed an Engineer to prepare plans. Those plans were laid before the Council; and according to the strict letter of the Act, they were to come before the ratepayers' The plans are here. There is no record on the minute book that those plans have been objected, to at all. Councillor Aitchison : I have objected to it from the beginning. Mayor : I say, there is no record of any objection on the minute book. Councillor Aitchison: I have objected. Councillor lution.

“ Mayor : If he had moved a resolution, it would have been on the minute book. Mr Barker : Is it not necessary that such a scheme should be approved by the Council before it »comes to a public meeting?

Mayor: I have gone strictly by the Act. T had no other course open. Councilor Aitchison : Did you ever consult the Council in regard to the levels ; or did you consult the Works Committee? Mayor: A resolution on the minute book says the Engineer shall receive his instructions from the Mayor or from the chairman of the Works Committee. The Engineer received his instructions from both of us.

Councillor Aitchison : May I ask where you or the chairman got your instructions from?. •

Mayor: Councillor Aitchison wants a deal Of information now. I got my authority by a direct resolution, Of the Council..

Councillor Aitchison : But should not the Council have had a voice in the settling of those levels ?

Mayor: If Councillor Aitchisbn thought so, it was his business to have exercised his voice on every possible occasion. There has been absolutely nothing hidden

from him...-If he, has not taken’the proper course, I arn not to be held responsible for that; • ■

Councillor Aitchison : I have one more question. (Laughter.) Is it not true that you took the responsibility of those levels yourself—that is so far as giving the Engineer instructions ? Did you ever consult the - Council about the different levels or grades ? Mayor: This is one ' way of putting a quiet insult. I have already said the instructions were given by the chairman and myself. The Council got ample opportunity of considering these levels. They were laid before the Council in an official manner. If he wanted to oppose the scheme, was i it not his business as a Councillor to move a. resolution ? It is too late in the day to raise such questions. It is not fair. ( Applause.) :

HE WAS NOT CONSULTED. Councillor Mil roy said he rose not so much to oppose borrowing as the manner of expending. He read an extract from the Mayor’s election speech in Mr Barker’s room, and said since the scheme was proposed there until it appeared tp-night, it had been the Mayor’s scheme. (Voice : No one else had brains enough.) The scheme did come before the Council in detail at our last meeting. We went into committee, and after a great deal had been said against the scheme, the only Councillors who spoke for it said soinething in this strain ; “ We want the money; let us spend it.” (Mayor : No.) At any rate, nothing was decided on. We came out of committee as •we went into it. The Council never had a voice in the matter. That is to say, they have never approved of anything. (Mr F. McCarthy : They must be a weak lot of men.) We are accused of not working with our Mayor. I say it is the other way. Our Mayor won’t work with us. The Premier of the colony will take advice from bis colleagues, and so ought the Mayor to take advice from his Council. ...He . said he, would, work cordially with any Council you put in. I have not found it so. ’He says the Engineer has taken his instruction from me and himself. ’ Well the Mayor-did send forme; the Engineer was present; and the Mayor commenced to show him what was required in Bedford-street. I made the remark that as the old. Town Board had fixed the permanent levels to a point below the Bank of New Zealand, we should be very careful in not involving ourselves in responsibility for compensation. ' From that day to this I have not interfered in giving directions, to the Engineer for levels. I have never seen the detailed plans of that work until they were before the Council at the last meeting. No details have been laid before you to-night. I shall have to lay them. He then gave some detailed estimates of the work in Bedford street (it being unusual to diyulge estimates of cost until, contracts are accepted) ; and said the street was intended to be fenced- at the side and planted with trees, but the money not being sufficient; the' fencing and planting are kept back ; that the street vrillibe formed full width, on a grade intended he believed for a -tramway at some time, no footpaths being made at present; and that with a different grade the street might be completed for less money than It will cost to do only what is proposed on the plan. When footpaths had to be added,, and the stuff sloped; down on the low sec- ; tions, then would claims for compensation come in. Asto the street to the heads,he supposed the Mayor intended it as a convenience for going to look at shipwrecks. The formation from the corner of Bedford street; to the head ’ just l amounted to: £SOO.

Mayor : You will understand that these estimates were submitted in committee, and it is not usual to make them known before contracts are accepted. If Councillor Milroy is. going to read the estimates in detail, I warn him that he must take the responsibility. Councillor Milroy: I shall take all responsibility for that. I only hope the work can be done within the estimates.: These are lump sums. The Act provides that where a water supply is brought ini there shall be a separate rate, which is to be paid for half yearly ; . and when a burgess won’t pay • that, rate, you have ; power to stop his water. (Loud laughter.) There has not been one word in the Council as to what is to become of our sick and infirm. We are bound to provide for those charges. Our patients cannot be sent to the county hospital without payiqg for them. One shilling in the pound.brings in £427. The salaries of the Mayor,' Clerk, Engineer, Inspector, and Valuer amount to £433, or £6 in excess;; of wjiat you get; from a shilling rate ; a thing unheard of. in any borough in New Zealand! i A SIDE WIND-WASTING TIME. Mr Dale : 1 do not object to borrowing, but we are called here to consider a scheme which has .not been adopted by the Council. It may be ' the scheme of i the ■: Mayor it is not the scheme of the Council; and before, we are called upon to consider it, 1 say the Council should adopt this scheme or some other. I would like to ask the Mayor; did the Council adopt the Engineer’s report at the last meeting ? , . ... Mayor: No.. Mr Dale ; Then I submit that until they adopt his report, the scheme is not before ■■you.-

V Mayor: As to this scheme not being: legally Wfore'you, T shall be prepared to show that it is. " This is -an attempt to defeat this scheme by a side-wind. No resolution to set aside this can be received by me, because it would be contrary to provisions of' the Act, which Mr Dale is such a stickler for. :

Mr Dale : Isay it is perfectly competent for us to carry absolution for the Council to adopter otherwise. It is the intention of .the Act that the voice of the ratepayers shall-be taken as’ a preliminary to that scheme, and if s a resolution was carried it would be the duty of the Council to.reconsider that scheme-

Mayor,: If such a resolution were passed- by this meeting, the question would be sent back, to the Council, and would bo hung up. That is the object. The matter beibgi nowi :before the ratepayers, it can be- disposed of only by a ballot to be taken on a future day. This meeting.cannot dispose of it by resolution, and, if Mr Dale is going to propose one, I muft rule him out of order.

iMr. Dale : This is not a .resolution on the—-r— ■

Mr Barton (solicitor) : I-rise to a point of order. The object for which this meetingds called is; that information may be laid before the ratepayers in order that they may be: sufficiently informed before going to vote, it seems to me that several speakers, and amongst them Mr Dale, have been wasting our time upon this point : whether this meeting has been properly called. That is not the question which we are here to consider. We are simply to consider, after, receiving informtion at this meeting, which, way we shall vote. (Applause.) But it matters not to us whether this meeting is regularly called or not. When the poll tckes.pl ace, it will count for what it should count, according to law. If the procedure has not been regular, the poll will count for nothing. T ask you to confine the speakers to the question before us. (Applause). Councillor- Milroy: If I' have wasted Mr Barton’s time, I must apologise. Mayor : This meeting is called simply for considering and ’ discussing the proposed scheme. 1 Mr Dale raised another point of law—that a map of the borough had not been prepared as required. Mayor : • A." map has been prepared. It is in sections, and perhaps Mr Dale will contend that it is not a map because it is not all in one piece. The Act has been complied with. , Me Dale then argued against the scheme; said a few hundreds" spent on Bedford street would do ; and that he would oppose: the borrowing of this money to waste: it on one street. A water right cohld be purchased as. well in the future as at present. The Mayor should take back the scheme and have it reconsidered-.'

CHANGING THE TUNE- . Cr Adams :■ I feel rather shaky ip following, three such giants as speakers. I rise with great pleasure to support this scheme. Mr Aitchison has informed you he has always been opposed to this borrowing scheme. 1 1 believe at the elections he told you- he was in favor .of borrowing. He never objected to borrowing until he became an interested party. He explained that his real opposition , to this <scheme was selfishness. Public good is thrown over altogether. I have not heard a single objection from any. property-owner in Bedford-street except Mr Aitchison. I think the scheme if carried out will be the making of the town. The property that will be improved by making Egmontstreet south will be Harbor Board property, some of which falls back in a short time. It will be so much enhanced in value by that time, that instead of being again leased as paddocks, it will be let in quarteracre building sections. We should not object to that ; for once the harbor: is made suitable for intercolonial trade, no will be Required from 1 you to make the town a success. At present only a small rate is derived by. the- town from Harbor Board property in that quarter ; r but improve that street, and in a short time the interest on £6OO would be nothing l in comparison with the increased rates we should derive from property in that quarter. (Applause.)' ANOTHER MAIN STREET. . 1 Mr C. E. Barker said he is in favor of borrowing, but the approach to the town, instead of being up Bedford-street, should be up Leicester-street (Gibson’s corner). £ISOO would be ample to make all improvements that are needed at present. He believed the’ Mayor is determined to force this, scheme on the ratepayers without its being first approved by the Council. - Councillor Gibson : I have not been in favor of borrowing in the way »f a loan. The present scheme does not complete the footpaths in Bedford-street; and the scheme*will cost more than - double; that amount to Sections on the south side, can be. nothing but* pits of stagnant water. He objected to the expenditure on :• 'Egraont-street south, as land there wouldbe* valuable enough for building sites. On the details of the scheme, he said, we have had no consulta- . tionj -iand i the Gouncihi has ; been- ignored altogether. We have had. no chance of throwing aside any part of the scheme we might object to—say the road to the heads. We must swallow the whole pill, (Voice : Box and all.) A BLUFF DEFENDER. Councillor Taplin : Great stress has been laid on some points to misrepresent this question of borrowing. As you are aware, there was a rival at the election for the Mayoralty ; and you are also aware that there are two,-parties in the Council.

(Voice; No.) Two very distinct parties T-the Opposition and the Government. (Laughter.) You have heard this scheme condemned as not having .come before the Council. I say that is wrong. It has been before the Council. Mr Dale ; But not approved. Councillor Taplin : --.The question of borrowing came on, and Councillors Aitchison and ■ Gibson were opposed to borrowing, but others were not. Certainly the’ proposal to borrow L 5,000 was not carried- unanimously, but it was;carried. The; Engineer was instructed to report on a scheme, and bis report and estimates came before the Council. Mr Aitchisdn went hard against the scheme, and he told us that it was simply on account of his own property. I say that all the Councillors got elected on the borrowing ticket. (Voice : No.) (Councillor Milroy : No.) » Certaiiily the two gentlemen who Contested the Mayoralty - did.. Well, we went into committee on the estimates of this scheme ; and if any Councillor objected, , why did he not move a resolution to throw out the scheme. The Opposition were afraid to move a resolution’: they dare' not try to throw out the scheme. They were either not manly enough,, or they saw they could hot succeed. The real meaning of that opposition is, one end of the town against the other end. 1 Why < did you form this into a borough if you did not intend to do something more than the old Town Board could do? Was not the great object to borrow money to improve the town. (Applause.) Mr Dale put some questions to Councillor Taplin, whose emphatic answers caused much laughter. The Mayor replied at length, and with considerable success, to the various argu--meets, question and quibbles. The length of our report prevents this i part of the proceedings being, set forth adequately ; and rather than give undue | prominence to some speakers more than V to others, we will report the latter part of \ the meeting at. fair length in the next | issue. ■, M The meeting closed shortly before * eleven o’clock;