Otahuhu's Finance.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 267, 17 April 1917, Page 1

Otahuhu's Finance.

[TO THE EDITOR."! Sir, —la your issue of the 13 th inst. one of our present Cjuacillors promises that if returned at the forthcoming election he will reduce the rates. This is a promise, impossible of fulfilment for the following reasons, viz.: At the end of four years existence as a borough Otahuhu finds itself with a loan debt of £27,000 and an overdraft of £6OOO. The whole of the year's rates are collected and the Council to-day is practically without funds. The streets of the Borough are in a shocking state of repair. The sewerage system is lees than half completed and in the near future a large sum of money will be required to enlarge the water tower and pumping plant. The Borough is rated on the unimproved value, so we cannot expect any new revenue from improvements as can a Borough that rates on improvements The water rate is singled out for special treatment. Certainly this account showed a profit last year but this profit was lumped with the other revenue, and if we reduce the water rate we will have to increase the general rate a like amount. Under the present management Otahuhu is not paying its way by about £2OOO a year and any talk about reducing the rates is sheer nonsense.

I know these promises were not made to catch votes bnt just out of goodness of heart.—l am, etc., H. E. WILSON. Otahuhu, April 14th, 1917.

An Otahuhu resident has been good enough to forward us a communication which reads as follows : " The Times " is the best read paper in Otahuhu and our Council business is in a much more healthy condition in consequence. Daily bread which forms the chief food in the household is always appreciated most when it is well baked. Mr *¥. Gardiner, whose advertisement appears in another column, has up-to-date premises, the bakery being substantially built of brick with cemented floor, while the fitt ngs are the latest by Beaney and Sous the well known oven builders of Auckland. Owing to increa-ing trade the premises have been enlarged and the oven has now a capacity for baking 350 loaves. 8o that flour can .be kept dry and in large quantities a well-built loft has been provided and altogether the premises are in themselves a guarantee that the bread and pastry it sued therefrom are productions of eminent soundness and purity.