THE TIMES. Published on Tuesday and Friday at Noon. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1920. BELATED LOAN PROPOSALS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 500, 27 January 1920, Page 2

THE TIMES. Published on Tuesday and Friday at Noon.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1920. BELATED LOAN PROPOSALS

"We nothing extenuate, nor set -town aught in malice."

ON Wednesday, 4th Eabruary, the Pukekohe Borough, Council will hold a special meeting for the purpose of further considering various loan proposals. These schemes have been under discussion for a very long time, but no finality has been reached in respect to any one of them. As far as can be judged at the present moment, there is likely to be a good deal of controversy in the Council before definite proposals are agreed upon. In view of the fact that a very large number of local lately carried loan propyls, and others are hastening new ones forward, further delay will increase Pukekohe's difficulties of securing the money if and when the proposals are finally carried. Nevertheless, it is essential that every question should be fought out on its merits, and therefore free and full discussion is essential for the formation of sound judgments. Though it will merely be.-, a matter of extending the existing services, the electricity extensions scheme bristles with contentious points, the main one, seemingly, being that of engineering advice. Mr A. J. Walker, of Auckland, submitted a report (or the County scheme, which scheme met with a rather mixed reception. As far as we are aware, Mr Walker was not asked by the Council as a whole j to submit a report on Pukekohe requirements alone, but we understand that this secondary re- ' port has been furnishtd —though at whose instigation we are unable to sMte. On the other hand, ' the 'Borough engineer (Mr W. Wyatt) was asked by the Council to furnish a report for the Borough. For reasons best known to himself, Mr Wyas appeared to be somewhat unwilling to submit a report. We understand that he has compiled one, but that it has not yet been placed before the gh it probably at the special meeting; As we remarked in a previous article on this question, we do not think the Council would be wise to go to the ratepayers with a scheme propounded by'any pne of its permanent staff, for sach an one will be sure to have made both friends and enemies in the Borough, and the forfner would be, perhaps subconsciously, inclined to allow friendship to influence their 'O'Jug, while the latter would be persuaded in the opposite direction from motives of ill-wili." Both of these conditions are prejudicial to sound judgment by .he ratepayers, and should be avoided. We can readily concede that the Borough engineer is in a position to know the requirements of the area under his control, and a report from him should be of much practical value; nevertheless the ratepayers would feel much more satisfied were an independent outside report secured, from Mr Walker or such, other expert as the Council might appoint ; or, if the local engineer's report were made subject to revision by an engineer not on the Council's permanent staff. This latter arrar.gement would probably be the better one in practice, as it would combine local and outside knowledge. One thing is certain: if the Council cannot shew a united front on the question, the ratepayers will assuredly be the more divided in their views, on that account. The installation of a drainage system is also on the list of developmental works in prospect, though nothing definite can be decided under this head until borings have been made for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not there is sufficient porous ! strata available for soakage. Owing to the machinery for testing the soil not having been obtainable so far, this matter has also been delayed. We are informed that the plant wilj. arrive within a week or so, after which, provided no serious obstacles are met with in boring, the desired information should very shortly lime t i light. As this is really the most,vital proposal in the list, it having a very important bearing on the hygienic conditions of the town, we trust that matters will be expedited as much as possible. The extension of the existing water mains is also projected, and as there are, as far as is anticipated at present, no engineering difficulties of magnitude, this scheme should proceed smoothly enough. The benefits of a good water supply are so much in evidence in the portion of the Borough now enjoying the same that there is hardly likely to be any serious opposition in this direction.

Improvement of the roads within the borough—especially the secondary roads—is an obvious necessity if the town is to make progress. We cannot expect people to come and settle here when the roads are impassable for cars or heavy vehicles during the winter months. There is no sound

argument against good roicfs, and in view of the fact that We have written on this subject somewhat exhaustively hitherto, there is hardly any need to dwell long on it now. Good roads are essential to progress in any civilized country—or uncivilized one eithr, for that matter. Whatever may be the fate of other proposals, the project in respect to reading is fairly well assured of success.

The Council will also decide, whether or not a municipal town hall shall w be included in the loan proposals. On the face of it, we shtiuld say that the proposition itself would be well received, though there may be dissension* outside the Council at any rate, regard to a site. The Council already possesses a quarter-acre site at the corner of Harrington Avenue and West Street, or Lower King Street, as the-.locality is sometimes called. This site was given to the old town board, under an arrangement which, at the time, was satisfactory to both parties. It was expressly stipulated that the section was to be used for a town hall site only. As the Council may decide ' to erect a' hall, Council chambers, librsrfo firebrigade station, machinery depot and other facilities all on the one area of land, instead of having these things scattered about in half-a-dozen places as at present, the quarter-acre, in that event, will not be sufficient. There a e a number of alternatives: the Council may endeavour to purchase further sections alongside its present; site; it may exchange the land on which the existing "chambers" (save the word!) now stand, for an area in another street, or itmay do neither of those things, but purchase elsewhere, outright. However, no doubt the pros and cons will be well threshed out before a decision is ajrrived at, and we trust that some feasible and amicable arrangement may be made.

By its long delay in bringing its loan schemes to a definite issue, the Council has made itself the butt of gentle ridicule in some quarters, but if it can yet submit coherent and logical propositions to the ratepayers, and shew a united front, we belilve the latter wail see the wisdom of shouldering their civic burdens, thereby inducing. a rapid growth of population, and consequently a larger number of ratepayers, to carry that essentialioad Which is the inevitable price bf progress. Failure to move with the times will mean that more progressive centres will attract population which would be very-welcome in Pukekohe. '