“PERFECTLY ABSURD”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 944, 10 April 1930, Page 9

“PERFECTLY ABSURD”

SHORE PROPERTY-HOLDERS MAKE REQUESTS REVALUING OF BOROUGH “The suggestion is perfectly absurd,” j remarked Mr. 3*7. Aldridge, Mayor of ; Devonport, when a letter came before the council from the Devonport Pro-perty-holders’ Association, asking the Devonport council to convene a meeting of local bodies to devise a more scientific method of disposing of sewage than discharging it into the harbour and Rangitoto Channel. The property-holders will be informed that the Auckland Drainage Board and a special commission are preparing a report, and that no gathering of local body men could instruct the experts preparing that report. The Property-holders’ Association had two other suggestions for the council’s consideration; the first was that the borough be revalued, because the last valuation was made on the boom period; the second to the effect that the time had arrived to have a cottage hospital on the North Shore. The council was of opinion that no good purpose would be served by spending £3OO to £4OO on a new valuation, as the present valuations were very fair in the main. It was pointed out that a decrease in valuations would mean an increase in rates. Regarding the cottage hospital, it was not considered advisable to express an opinion until the Auckland Hospital Board had completed its inquiry into this question.

Air. T. Walsh said that about five years ago the matter had been thoroughly examined, and it was found that no less than a id rate would have to bo levied on the whole of the Xorth Shoro to maintain a cottage hospital. A public meeting of Narrow Neck residents will be held next week, on the advice of Messrs. Falla and Eyre, to discuss the beautifying of the beach surroundings. The Walcatere Canoe Club was voted £5 toward the club’s outlay on reconditioning Narrow Neck Hall. The annual accounts showed that the bank overdraft was £3,149, as against £5,063 in 1929; the borough had £5,000 to receive from various sources so that it actually closed the year with £2,000 to its credit. The Mayor suggested that in framing this year’s estimates allowance should be made for the fact that some rates would be in arrears. The budget should be on the basis of net receipts and not gross receipts. The clerk stated that 94.5 per cent, of the rate struck had been paid by March, which was a much better percentage than any other borough around Auckland. The expenditure on public works had exceeded the estimates by £9OO (the actual expenditure being £9,499). A conference with the managers of the bus companies elicited the opinion that if the buses controlled by the North Shore Transport Company were grouped together, the present parking arrangements at the wharf-head were very satisfactory.