BOROUGH DRAINAGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 44, 22 June 1915, Page 2

BOROUGH DRAINAGE.

[iu I'hh Editor Stratford Post.] Sir, —Mr Boon says that both he 'and '1 agree as to injustice being done I by the present , system of paying for 'the drainage. So far, so good. But Mr Boon would wish to remedy one injustice by inflicting a second one. The interest on the present loan is roughly £2OO, Those deriving benefit from it are about 200. I sa.V cease to collect fates for this £2OO and, charge a W!C. rate to 'meet it instead. Mr Boon says Oh! no! we want that rate for general purposes as well, so we will continue to collect it and charge for ‘flushing’ the W.C.’s. But we are already paying for 'our water. The fact is Mr ,? oon is faced with a shortage' o* iodine, ar d |does not know which way to tin'll to procure it. In this he has my sympathy, and as far as I am able, am jwilling to give any help I can; but any help I may give must be in tliedirection of absolute justice, and in the direction I have always advocated, namely: That those who are deriving or are likely to derive any benefit from the expenditure of loan money should meet the charges.on the loan. Now it cannot he too often urged that all permanent works should be done out of loan money, and conversely that no permanent works should he done except out of loan v -oncy. Mr Boon tells ns that drainage connections have been nlade out of income and I personally know of permanent work done, out of income costing. 1 should say, £7o or £BO. This is quite wrong in principle, and -no wonder while this is going on M r Boon finds/ himself short of funds. But Mr Boon speaks airily of a loan for certain works. Very good, but how does he propose to raise the interest on the works he mentions? If by a general rate over the Borough he may just as well save himself any trouble over the matter for the ratepayers will have' none of it. The only way to raise a loan in Stratford in the present conditions of things, when we are all crying out for improvements, is to go in Tor a loan in which all will benefit, and consequently all will be prepared to pay.— I am, etc.

HENRY WILSON.