PUKEKOHE'S LOAN SCHEMES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 131, 12 January 1916, Page 1

PUKEKOHE' S LOAN SCHEMES.

Explained at Public Meeting. A very attentive hearing was given the Mayor of Puktkohe and other members of the Borough Luuncil at the meeting of ratepayers held in th<! Oddtellows' Hall on Monday evening fir the purpose of submission of details of the Council's ban Bctiemes, on which the pell is to be taken to-morrow. The attendance numbered between 30 and 40. The Mayor, Mr H G R Mason, presided, and was supported on the platlorm by Councillors Barter, tlubtard and and the Town C.leik, Mr J F Dearie.

The Mayor was the first speaker and at the outset ol tis remarkshe explained that five issues in ai 1 were being submitted to the ratepayers, two however referring to one scheme, namely, drainage. The special drainage area, now suggested by the Council, was, he said, only part of a larger schsme that was brought forward some time ago. Drainage was looked upon as most important by the Government Departments and despite war conditions the Government was prepared to lend the Council for their scheme a sum of £SOOO at 4h per cent interest. They had accordingly cut down the scheme to that figure. Of that amount £ISOO was spread over the whole borough, such being set down for purchase ot land and the construction ol a septic Unit and filter bed which wouli be available for usa by the larger area when drainage was extended. Apart from that fact, however, there wa3 the broader issue that the whole borough was interested in the cleanliness and gcod health of the town. For instance, practically everyone had an interest in the schools or churches and he did not think a rata of one-fourteenih of a penny would be begrudge! by the people of the whole of the borough in respect of the £ISOO loan. As regards the provision ot drainage for the town, estimated to cost £3500, tie urgency of the matter was beyond question. Some cases of disease of late had been directly traced to faulty drainage, and the Health Otlicer had avoised the Council of the urgent necessity of considering a drainage scheme. It might te suggested, continue! the Mayor, that a night-scil system was a cheaper process, but he disputed that contention, whilst, further, a proper scheme had many obvious advantages over the pan system. The lowest tender the pievious Council received tor the carryi g out of night-soil removal was la 3d (.er house per we2k, against which the charge per house in icspect of the £SOOO lull loan would only be 9id ptr week, based on li! 0 connections. Again, every new touse erected meant average decrease in the cost lor a drainage scheme, but with night-soil removal no such reduction took place, but ciifticutlies rather increased in regard to a dumping ground. Naturally with a drainage Bystem the cost of water, had not to be overlooked. He based Euch cost at 8s per annum but in the majority of cases that would be covered by the existing minimum charge. Each owner would, of course, have to pay the cost of the necessary plumbing, etc., at his premises, the average cost in that way being from £ls to £25. Although the point had not bean dealt with the Council would probably, ab in other places, be able to make arrangements to finance that outlay where necessary, the principal ar.d interest thereon to be repaid by owners by annual instalments. The Mayor went on to say that the war was frequently made a great and even a convenient excuse for doing nothing, but he urged that the war should not he ailjwed to interfere with sanitary requirements. Referring to the proposed waterworks loan of £6300, Hie Mayor explained the new Bystem in force of charges to cotsumers. It really lurmed a compromise, he said, as it practically reduced the special rate to halt its previous figure, and as time went on it meant that those who consumed the water would pay lor it and the special rate would ultimately vanish. Of the £O3OO, £2OOO was put down for extending the maius and it was only by extensions and additional connections that the waterworks could be rendered a profitable concern. Some oJ the items included in the water luan, namely, £l2O lor a new generator, £l5O for boring, etc., had already been expended out of the General Kate, so unless met by the loan a higher rate was imminent for next year. Similarly the £3OO asked lor as a I'irc Urigade loan was practically all in respect of expenditure already incurred in adding to the Brigade's equipment. Ihe most striking feature of the £40,000 asked for as .! Hoad Works Loan was its bizs, hut Ih'it figure did not mean immediate expenditure of the same. At the most £3OOO would only be spent by the present Council, but it was thought advisable that the ratepayers should be asked to give authority for u complete scheme in one act, is otherwise it was diilicut to get a person, who had a gcod road, to vote lor the benefit ol a person, who was not to lorI innately placed.

Ur Carter claimed that tbe Waterwurk-> Loan wes equally as important an the Drainage Scheme, which could not Lr efficient without an abuudant wat< r supply. The Waterworks scheme had already given the Couucil considerable (rouble, and li an alteration wag not effected would continue to give trouble

What was wauted, be said, was a rerervoir two hundred leet lower than the reservoir now io use on Fukekohe Hill. It would do away with the high pressure valve the faultiness of which waa the cause of four hundred million gallons of water, which cost eightpence per one thousand gallons to pump to the top of the Hill, being wasted annually. It would be necessary in connection with the new reservoir for the Council to purchase an acre of land, which with tte cost of the new reservoir would entail an expenditure of approximately £2OOO. Owing to the water supply becoming polluted by soßKage into the present well, the Couccil had been called on to sanction the erection of a concrete tank. That work would cost between £l2O and £l3O, and would if the loan was not carried have to be paid out of the General Rates. He corr plained of muddling during the old Road Board days, and instanced the "beautiful concrete structure'— the power-bouse—which be said was tilling away. He deprecated the talking that want on at street corners, particularly in connection with the proposed purchase of a dwelling from the Borough Waterworks Engineer. It had been said, he stated, that the Council put down £SOO tor the equity on the engineer's bouse, but said nothing as to L there being a £3OO mortgage on the property. The facts were that the Engineer had made an offer to the Council in regard to the sale of the house, but the Council had not arrived at any arrangement whereby it would be purchased. When the Council decided to purchase the property they would want it as cheaply as possible, but no arrangements could bejmade until they bad the money. Nobody regretted more than he did that boring operations on the hill for water had proved to be futile. It was a great disappointment to have had to cease operations which up to the finish gave no eigns of water being near at hand. He believed that the Rev H Mason was correct when he informed the Council of the location of a big flow of water near the power-haose, and, further, he was of the opinion that when it was struck it would be an efficient supply. He hoped that the ratepayers .would not dream of turning down the Fire Brigade Loan, which was very small. He instanced the good work accomplished by the Brihgda last week, when tbey saved from destruction Mr John Bilkey's dwellioghouee, and he said that the incident proved that the work the Brigade could accomplish was of enormous value. He also expressed himself as a strong advocate of the Drainage and Water Schemes. Cr Hubbard considered the roading Bcheme to be the moat difficult of the loans. The Committee, of which he was chairman, afttr having gone into the question felt tbey had a right to ask the ratepayers for a loan of £BOOO to put the roads in a satisfactory condi tion, and the Council agreed to that, but afterwards felt that a more comprehensive scheme was necessary, although they only intended to spend in tbeir term of office the £BOOO recommended by bis committee.

Cr Koadley Btated that it had been thought that they (the Council) would not get a representative Fathering at that meeting but he was fully satisfied with the attendance as he saw that it represented the "brains" portion of the community. (Laughter). Jf those present were convinced tliat the arguments brought forward that night were sound he believed they would carry the loans and thus not only advance their own interests but those of the borough. Krfernng to the water loan, ha expressed himself as satisfied with the power-house and he believed that the old Town Board members did their best and were not deserving of blame, as everyone was liable to make mistakes. According lo recognised authorities, however, the present reservoir waa built at an elevation two hundred feet higher than it should have been, and it was therefore proposed to have a new reservoir at a lower level, to be constructed in two divisions, each division to hold from ■dh to 4 days' supply. These divisions would be used in turn and thus the water would be always fresh instead of being stored indefinitely as at present. What was to be gained in that way waa to be seen from the fact that although the present reservoir was only cleaned out a few weeks ago the water that day was as green as ever. If they continued to take water from the present reservior lie prophesied a very serious epi demic, and who wuuld be to blame— the brainy portion of the community. (Laughter). As to the drainage loan, his idea was that Inc existing sanitary conditions would not bear thinking of. Cr Koadley went on to suggest that rating on unimproved values should be adopted in I'ukekune, as certain people now held on to sections for speculation purposes and practically escaped taxation. The existing system of rating, he said, meant that the individual was taxed for spending his money and as an instance of that he mentioned that in regard to his own property in King street the former rate was lios as a section with a hut, whereas he now had to pay £!) per year in rates efter erecting a building on it. QUESTIONS

On questions bting invited, Mr J A Conine asked if the Council were unanimous in the decision not to continue boring operations on i'ukekhe Hill. His Worship replied in the affirmative, adding that the indications had been that water would not be found except at a considerabli depth.

In reply to another question, Bis Worship stated that no selection had been made of a site for the proposed new reservoir, and (be Council would, in making the choice, certainly not overlook the possibility of securing water at some position on the hill other than en the summit as seemed possible, seeing that a bore on Mr Hoddinott'a property had been successful. Mr F Perkins asked whether a septic tank would deal with soap ttuds and the Mayor said the Council had been advised to that effect.— Mr Perkins: I understand that such is not the case, as soap suds kill the germs operating in the septic tank.— Cr Barter mentioned that it was the use of disinfectants and not soap suds that caused the trouble referred to by Mi Peikins.

Mr J T St-:mbndge asked in regard to the imminent alteration of the borough bourdaries whether it was not a tact that owner?, whose properties were going out of the borough, bad a right to vote on the loans, and vet the Council bad agreed to exempt them from rating liability.—The Mayor: Yes.— Mr Stembridge contended that the proper coutse to have taken was to have made a special rating area, as it was an anomaly that a person could vote for a scheme and escape paying for it. He alao thought it was an inrfingement of the Local Bodies Loans Act.—The Mayor stated that the persnnß concerned were not legally exempt from the rates, but on ly by virtue of the promise made them by the Council. He explained that the oppoitunity of obtaining the money would have been lost in the delay attendant on the fixing of a special rating area, and it was to avoid delay that the loans were allocated over the existing borough area.—Mr Stembridge: I consider that if people have the privilege of voting for a loao they should also have the privilege of paying for it. Mr Steuibridge next asked whether the roads loan was to be of ten yeais' duration and how its repayment was to be met by the sinking fund being limited to one per cent. —The Mayor replied that the loan in qwstioa was fixed for ten years as arrangements had been provisionally made to secure the money from the Patriotic He lief Association wha had agreed to lend it for ten years. At the expiration of that period it would simply mean re-rinancing the loan as in the case of some of existing tive-jear loans falling due in 1917. Mr Hurley desired to know the value of the property going out of the borough as the result of the alteration of boundaries, and the information furthcoming was that £50,000 would about represent such value.

Mr Hurley: it is scandalous that such owners can vcte either for or against the loan and we, the ratepayers, have the privilege of making up their rates on ths £50,000. A lot of people will vote against the loans because ot that. The Mayor: I believe the ratepayers concerned recognise the position and will not vote at all.

Mr W Roulston asked what was the amount of the sbcrt perod loans shortly falling due as mentioned by the Mayor, and wnethtr the Council bad considered bow they would be met.

The Mayor replied that it was something to be thankful for that the loans referred to would not fall due in their (the Council's) time but in the time of their succesors. (Laughter). The amount was £16,050 leas the sinking fund raiaed, and the money would become due on November Lt, 1917. Mr W Roulston: That is a pretty fair amount, and tha ratepayers will have to make provision for it. 'lhe proceedings closed with a vote of thanke, proposed by Mr Comrie, to the Mayor and Councillors lor their addresses.