RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 53, 20 March 1901, Page 3

RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

A mektikq of members of the Ratepayers' Association was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening, between 20 and 30 beiDg present. Mr.. Alexander presided. A report frem a committee was read expressing an opioion that the whole question of the Borough loan should be re-considered, owing to altered circumstances in rates of interest and eahanced prices. They recommended (1) discontinuance by the Borough I Council of all steps to raise the loan until the ratepayers had reconsidered and decided on the subject; (2) that any new proposal should be separated so as to enable a vote to be taken oa each, viz. (a) water, (b) electric lighting, (c) roads and streets, (d) sanitary arrangements other than sewerage; (3) that *uch sums as in the opinion of tin Council would be amply sufficient for each proposed wo;k should bo included ia any loan proposal, reserving the right to raise tbe wholeamouutat once, , or in instalments over a limited peried, so that, if practicable, the Council 1 might borrow in each year the sum , which can be conveniently expended in . year, and thus avoid hasty expenditure | and loss of interest on the balance un- ' expended; (4) that the loan be raised s at current rates within a limited time; | (5) tfcnt tho action in connection with f tho loan be suspended until after the ( election of the new Council. ( In reply to Mr Skinner, the Chair- ( man said it was not deemed advisable | to enter upon a complete scheme of 1 Eewerage, but only to institute some 1 very neewsary eanitary arrangements i which would not be costly. , Mr. Skinner advocated the sceptic < tank bj stein, which Penned to meet 1 with success whan tried. i

Mr. Govett said some kind of a Beweraga system was tbe most crying need at present, bHt tinkering was not oHly of no use, bat would tend to stop the institution of a thorough system. He considered it was perfectly unreasonable of the Council to go on with the present lean proposals, In his opinion electric light had been taken up by many people as a fad. There were far more important needs, such as roadv, sanitation, and water supply, yet lighting had been placed in the forefront. He had no doubt that the agitation in favour of electric light had produced a good effect on the Gas Company, and it was always open to ratepayers to keep this whip over the Cempany, and, if needful, giro it them bard. There was, therefore, •very reason for asking the Council to remodel their scheme. As to sanitary matters, there were so many houses being erected on very small pieces of Sound that it was most important to ve a careful system for destroying rubbish likely te cause an evil. Mr. Parker thought that the various recommendations of the Committee should he considered seriatim, as taken as * whole they were rather mixed. He criticised the suggested separation «f the items included in the loan proposals, and pouted out that bo practical benefit would ensue, and it might lead to some pet part of the scheme being favoured at the expanse of the other portions. He applauded the Council for the movement towards eecuring electric light, as the excessive charges for gas and its unsatit-factory quality were good grounds of griovar.c-. lie did not bolieve thb e'ectric light would be hortful ti the Gas Company, but it would certainly benefit the town.

The Chairman painted out thstt it was well kuown the amount al'o> rl to each of the borough "proposils woul i not execute the work intended, arid that it was certain the ratepayets would have to he asked for mon°y, He protested against leav'mr sevfral important works only fcalF fiaished, and advocated complo'.iiig each.

Mr. T. Furlong, jnr., could mt he'p tbioking that it was the inclusion of the electric light scheme in the proposals which prevented the loan hoing raissi, a?d he considered the wh'le question sfiould be referred back to tlip Council. Improved water supply was in his opinion an absolute necessity and a gravitation schema seemtd the best means ef securing it. He also advocated putting in order the outlying streets and providing necessary taoitary I arrangements. Mr. Asher* spoke in favour of e'eetric 1 Jight and that it properly formed part of the water supply question. Mr. Kerr saw no difficulty in s pirating tbe water supply fr< m J bat of electric light, the former being an urgent nead, which was net the case with the latter. After dome further d'scus»ion the report was adopted. A copy is to be sent to the Borough Council. Mr. Goveti gave not'es of motion to alter tbe namo of the Association to the New Plymouth Municipal A?so?iaton so as to enable all voters to join. Mr. Paul brought up the question of the removal of the Post Office and save no'ico of motion to have the matter .considered.

Mr. Parker gave notice of motion •with reference to altering the Borough Vbye-laws; and the meeting adjourned.