HOWICK LOAN PROPOSALS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 791, 11 October 1929, Page 7

HOWICK LOAN PROPOSALS

£20,000 FOR SERVICES SUPPORT OF RATEPAYERS A largely attended meeting of ratepayers was held in the Howiek Town Hall last evening to discuss the loan proposals which have been submitted to the Docal Government Doans Board. Mr. J. Crawford presided. At the conclusion of the meeting the proposals were unanimously supported. The chairman said the total amount of the loans was £20,536, covering several schemes. The first work was the concreting of the main highway in the town district from the Presbyterian Church to MacInnes's corner, costing £4,OSS, and from the corner to the Howiek School, costing £5,300. The former portion would carry a subsidy of £ 3 for £ 1 from the Main Highways Board, and on the latter portion the board allowed a subsidy of £1 for £1 on the estimated cost of the work in bitumen. The members of the board favoured the laying down of both portions in concrete. The subsidy over the two stretches was approximately 32 s 10 the £l, amounting to £II,OUU, and the board considered it would be in the best interests of the district to accept this offer. Detour roads for use during concreting would necessitate a loan of £lB3, and this would result in three roads being put in good order. A loan of £1,625 was proposed for the kerbing and channelling of footpaths in Picton Street, and the formation of a lfiain storm-water drain. The loan for the water supply amounted to £9,340. This work was considered necessary, and the present time was considered opportune for doing it. The trial bore sunk on Pigeon Mountain had shown a flow in excess of S,OOO gallons an' hour for 32 hours. The installation work would be carried out in three stages. The first would consist of erecting the necessary plant and bringing the reticulation main to Stockade Hill, and the second in erecting a reservoir at Stockade Hill. This work was expected to be selfsupporting'. The third stage would be the complete reticulation of the district with the provision of firehydrants. Mr. Crawford said the board had given its assurance that no rate would bo struck for the water-supply loan. It was also anticipated that only about 50 per cent, of the rate for the concreting work would be required. Engineering details connected with the proposed works were explained by Mr. A. Greville Walker, consulting engineer to the board. A motion moved by Mr. R. P. Rishworth, approving of the raising of the loans, and pledging the support of the ratepayers at the poll, was carried unanimously.