CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 516, 23 March 1920, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS.

A meeting of the Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce was held last night twelve members being present. The president (Mr. R, p. Webster) oc(UP[ed the chair. The p res i de ajii |ho fio Uuncll had refused a meetR of ratepayers rv *^, :> propos- ' , bllt ha? sent ouWPrulirs instead, wh.ch was more like a screen than an explanation. Sewerage works »ftk e k"? nl .i al, nnd must be W™ ™ wth, but it was a mistake "to put everything in one issue. Sewerage, and extensions of water and lighting systems would appeal to all ratepayers, but not so with, other items. Me questioned the wisdom of shortdated loans. No policy indicated higher rates of interest. He condemned the amount nut down for tne town hall and municipal buildings, which was quite inadequate. Mr. C. Roadley said the circular was not to the point,- and not informative; £20,000 for works and paths was required, and so was the quarry. No execution could be taken to the fire brigade equipment. The hall and municipal buildings were difficult propositions. Different sites were available, but the council had not sufficient backbone, foresight, or business ability to pick a site definitely, £6OOO was inadequate, and it would come to the position that the council could do what it liked with if once voted. The swimming baths were needed, but should be in a central position. The baths for the

'ld be provided by the Education Board, but that for the general community in a more central position. The site near the old showgrounds would be suitable. In regard to the waterworks, such were essential, but that should not be very expensive. The electrical scheme, Mr. Roadley said, was as a plant a thing of speeds and patches. In his proposition he made allowance for a storage battery, and well paid engineer and assistant. It would have given a profit of £6OO a year. It was wrong to wait on Government supply and in the meantime losing the most, profitable consumption. The drainage was essential, but v guarantee was needed that the money would be judiciously spent. The bore holes were a mistake in a district where thousands of pounds

were spent annually on artificial manures. Instead of septic tanks, the wastage should be made into ma nures by a sewerage farm. The present scheme would be a gross waste. Sewerage farms were profitable in towns having hundreds of thousands of population. He did not care to make" nnv comment; considering the state of the money market, on the short-dated loan policy. But the rates would be materially by the loan. He was paying 5s a week on a 22ft frontage. If the ratepayers raised the £84,000 the council could raise a further 10 per cent, without the consent of the ratepayers, making the total liability £9OOO. Every proposition in the scheme was essential, but what guarantee had businessmen got that value would be secured for the money? The main objection was that the works would lie carried out by the council's employees, two or three of whom would be given a free hand. Experts should be put at the head. It was far better to pay good men a good salary than to employ men who' were not experts in the various branches. Mr. R. G. V. Fear thought that the items should be separate, and people would then support further proposals as the original ones wejjp made a success of. The blocking-ofv the items together showed lack of < confidence. Mr. Roadley added that the council might go out, and then the new council would be in the hands of the employees, who would b«L the only ones having an l.ilce of the worje. «§» Mr. T. E. McMillan struck a contrary note in the discussion. The attitude of the chamber.-was profoundly disappointing to him. ¥he leader of the small band in opposition to the loan (Mr. C. Roadlev) had just told the chamber that hr practically agreed that all the item? in the loan proposal were required in the town, but finally wound up by expressing hostility. Not a single argument that had been put forward against the loan had any ballast in it when logically analysed. People professed to have no confidence in the council or its employees. Very well, by the time the monev was available and materials in bulk secured for any of the works (except ro'ading, the metal being available locally), thorp would he a municipal election. The electors could then mil in a new set of councillors if they so desired, with a mandate to dismiss or curtail the powers of employees, and insist that proper expert supervision be obtained. Thes< things could easily be accomplished and he thought it extremely unwis' to block the progress of the town for a couple of years on such flimsy erounds. Thev talked about the rate Well, what about it'.' Members gluec' their eyes to the 3 3-4 d legally speoi fied for legal purposes, but obstinately lefused to admit that there was little likelihood of anything mor< than Id being actually imposed ir an.V one year. Though several of tlv works would probably be under wai simultaneously, only a moderate am ount could be done to anything with in any given year, and as the loai would be called up only as requi ed there need not lie any fear of r heavy rate. What the town wantec' was more ratepayers. The speake was having a house built, but he certainly would not build in Pukekoh< if he thought wte , electric light ing, drain: '.'o, and good roads wer r not going to be provided. Then were other places where these facil' tics existed, which attracted the pe pulation, and the sooner Pukekohcame into line with modern require monts, the sooner the number o ratepayers would be increased am the bii'den better distributed, Kail house and section c,t about ClOtH which, even at a rate of Id in £' meant over it added annually to th< cute revenue. Ami ye I members wop pondemnin" a loan, the eirrving u which would icsull in the att raotioi ~| many m w residents lo the low n new ratvp yei's, each paying fron

i; | upwan l in rates every veir! The • was nut :'. '-iiiM.le private business ii I'uk.'k.ihe which, in proportion t t| H , intflVhts ill ! lake, had spent K' little ill development wo k as tin bormiL'h liail. 'I Ii ' si*o:tkor was l;I:k t,, nol'> that there was an elomenl of humour in tin l ituution: ineniboi oxpressi (I eiyilidi nee in Ihe cy-Mavi (Mr. IF. (".. 11. :.!>■.-« n. M.A.). Well Mi'. Mason w*-: strongly in favour nl the li'.m. I'll'' electors had turned 1,;,,, out of oiiici.'. Now they were not siitiMieri vv t'n t'n men they hai |)U t in for the nresont term. Maybi ,| K , people of IVkckohe wanter 1 heaven -Iwn ven ius'-s to conduct their '■!'■'■ aif.ii - At anyrut.-, th< i,,.,,, oreoi sal ■■'.' It progress, and ii ( j,., | ii.il .-pell ie! I'DtjrPSSii 11. If III! ChllillllP ' <>f f'fiiiiUM ree was !;dini; h ~,, |,, the public condemning the J , i |)j n it was the most fossilis ( .(| " unpi'i'Uressive iliaml.fr he Find over had the misfortune to be assoelated with. Mr. !''• I'erkins did not think export advice had been seer.ed in 'irmvinK »i> li "' [»«<>p<»siils. 'lhe town p.,11, to suit Pukekohe, would cost three times the amount. The drainage even for a congested area,

would also cost much more, though le had no technical knowledge ol illainage-. If the amount for drainag< vas in keeping with that for a hall, then things would be in tt mess. C 10,000 would not pay for half thi jest of drainage. The council h:u .nit treated the ratepayers as busi nssn;en, refusing to hold a publi. neeting and take the public int li.'ir conlidence. Mi. H. Dell said the previonpeaker was right in stating th •he cotncil had not taken ti.i peopl liti) their conlidence, and that wall" great weakness. 'lhf president said the li ai n:>:'. was at present merely expe imeiita! ; . :■!• i'uM ha\i' been delinit ly s< 1 d before the proposals we:irougkt forward. II" moved that 11-o.opi-sals were linsatisfai lory an •hat the chamb.T coldd not M:ppoth. nl. l- 'n illy, Mr. Road! -\ prone-ed t!. lumber could not siyiport ih ii p.oposals iiecause there we en ,afe<j els lor 1 hi- jrdici. s->» I >i» i 111- • of t lie lII'.IV v; I hat 11". ■ CI :r. !i■ - - Id |iromise to appoint a d' ' 'liialified engineer to sunervbo t 1 •a rying out of the yehenv". ti.. «'ich engineer be solely resp'-nsi.d r -. -n■ •;I: il:'it I" I'll ; > 'rm be given that the anioents sp-cit'i are sullici'nt for th" respective w-im M•. 11. Curd strongly advocatbut regretted the ha k >. information as to the at-a vp streets to be reticulated. Sevc ai members expressed tin opinion that they would have h::< confidence in the scheme Ind it bei i ft ! - ibv ihe ex Mnvor. II '' k. Mason. The motion was carried almost unanimously, two members refraining from voting.