PUKEKOHE'S LOAN SCHEMES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 134, 19 January 1916, Page 1

PUKEKOHE'S LOAN SCHEMES.

Council and Adverse Vote.

Tho position of the Pukekohe borough Council in regard to the ratepayers' rejection of the loan schemes voted on last week was discussed at a Bpecial Council meeting IHd on Monday, but owing to not more than a bare quorum (five members) bei g present, it was agreed to only infornnlly discuss matters and to defer any definite decision until the ordinary monthly meeting to be held to-night (Wednesday). The members in attendance Were the Mayor (Mr H(ilt Mason), and Cis Hubbard, Kuadley, Barter and Bilkey. The Mayor, at the outset, explained that he had more particularly call.d the meeting to'deal with the drainage difficulty. The position waH that if the Council proposed to still proceed with the drainage scheme application on the subject would have to be made to the Health Officer for his. recom-' mendation to go forward to the Minister. War conditions were no argument against drainage, as the loan could be secured fiom the Government at as cheap a rate as before tne war.

Cr Hubbatd asked whether in the eveat ot the Council adopting powers under the Public Health Act the drainage rating area could r.e limited as in the loan proposal. He considered that tne Council would te justified in going on with the drainage in view ot providing for toe health of the borough The Mayor stated that so far as he Knew a special drainage area could still be defined

Cr Bilkey objected under the circumstances to any drainage scheme being carried through, and if the Council decided to proceed pith it he said he would feel inclined to resign as a protest. The tomn, he ctatsd, had had a fair otter and had turned it down, fie would, howtver, support the installation of a pan system of sanitation Ct Kubtard mentioned that the "uutsioe" disuict gave a better vote for drainage than the town

Ihe Mayor: The reason is that the ptople who are most interested against the Council live in the town area

Cr Koadley thought that the trouble had mainly arisen through resentment at certain vacant sections in Hal! Btrcet being eliminated from the drainage rating area when they should have been included, ff more caie had been taken in laying out the line of drain he believed the loan would have been carried

Ihe Mayor replied that there were no drair,s rear the property in question, and as the Council was limited to an outlay ot £SOOO in all the area for the work had necessarily to be lestticted. Complaint would have been more justified in respect to His closely settled property on the West road, which had to be omitted owing to thortagc of funde, but for which dramage would later on have to be provided. He thcught it was curious that objection should be taken in respect ot a vacant paddock aud tot relative to the houses he referred to

Cr Koadley contended that the cased were dis-similar, as the property in Hall street was in. the centre of the town. He went on to say that as a member of the Drainage Committeee he of course accepted responsibility for the omission, but the plan of drainage was dealt with at the first Committee meeting lie attended after his election. He consequently was not then fully acquainted with things; and, further, through not having had his "glasses" with him on the occasion his eyesight did not permit him to closely follow the liae route, It was accordingly news to him when lie found out that the Hail street propcity had been um 11 ted

The Mayor remarked ii he had been the owner of the property referred to he would have disputed in Court the nghi of the Council to rate it for drainage in the absence ot any substantial benefit accruirg. Sooner or later another loan for extensions would be necessary aDd the property. would thea naturally be included. His Worship also exrpeesed the opinion that tho objections raised had no real foundation end were only brought hrwarJ in a spirit ot opposition Cr Barter considered there was too much street corner talk amongst people who deem-d themselves lawvers and engineers

The Mayor: Yes, there seems any amount oi engineers about Cr Barter: If the whole borough had be-.n idivi His loan would probably have been carried. Tbe people in the town want drainage, but also want the while borough to pay for it

I'r Bilkey: The fact ot the matter is they don't want drainage Cr Barter expressed the belief that the question asked by Mr W ltouleton at the meeting of rate Dayerß relative to the amount of loans shortly becoming due had considerably influenced the voting, as ratepayers were frightened when the liability was mentioned

The Mayor said that there was really nothing in the point as the loans would naturally be renewed.

Cr Koadley considered it unfortunate that in view of the meeting ot ratepayers a plan of campaign had not been arranged by the Council Cr Hubbard stated that the meeting was one of the best of the kind at which he had been present anywhere. They were given a good hearing and stricty fair and pertinent questions were asked Cr Koadley: That proves my argument that it was a "brainy" meeting. (Laughter)

Cr Bilkey was of opinion that putting forward a £40,000 loan fir roads killed everything Ihe Mayor thought the most unforunatte feature of the poll was the indifference of the ratepayers, very few ot whom voted The meeting was then adjiurned until to-night