BOROUGH LOANS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 33, 8 February 1902, Page 2

BOROUGH LOANS.

SlK»— After reading the report of tfee 4i*ett«ion of tbe loan proposals of the b'onffugh, one thing in particular it#dckj njiß' aa a ratepayer, and that was the unwillingness of a majority of the Ooiux<i|il to separate the Henui Bridge propofcaW f rom the sum allotted for ordinary preet improvement, and it sterns cjaite evident to me that they are apsofUtely afraid to test the Reeling of thtt ratepayers who eleot them, on this one mat er, pure iSd simple. Ido not propose to argue as to the vaiue of this to the b trough, providing that it could ba well,afforded, but with th 6 teiit of the town in tha admittedly disgvfleeful State' it is in,- and tbe ratny other outlets retiring attention, nod also to the fact that sotne hundreds have, ,witbin the last feW J'sars,- been sper.t lupan this particular pi#* of r 0a4,1 venture to think that the Council ire not justified in spending some | £3SQy (probably j£4ooo before finished) upcfi i this particular bridge and approaches. Had they been mora modest in:their demands, and proposed to | buid it say 40 feet wide, instead of I gottolhiug like 73 feet, the public mjgte have swallowed it; this would bare allowed a 30 foot roadway, and two 5 foot footpaths, ample for all the tr iflb for many years to come, and cap- ' able of ex eosion whet funds, other ik|i«r borrowed money, permitted. I ' blliuM that the Patea Bridge at flint- ' fore is 30ft or under, aud I think you Icm bear me out that the traffic is I greater on this bridge thin the Henui. ' I the Ctauocil peroiit in lumping this i iem with other street improvements, > | (key are very likily to have tbe whole » i 16,000 rejected at the poll. It must II a recollected that the other and mora I leoeaiary schemes arj to be curtailed to i ! gleet the above expenditure, the lOin. ojain down the Junction-road and two - |.f the filter beds r commended by Mr [ Mestayer, and, as Mr Tieoh says, tbe ratepayers on the higher levels will | not appreciate this curtailment. I I cbrdially agree with the rest of the I proposals, all are necessary, water and I drainage urgently require attention, jtihe eleo'ric light, with cheap water [ power will be a booa to all us- re of I light, and undoubtedly pay more than {interest on its cost. The £ISOO proflposed to be gpint on saltwater baths [should not only pay interest on the I outlay, but indirectly bring grist to the I mill by making our town more attraof tive to the large coun v ry population ic in thsprovincialdiatric'. Trusting that you will be able to find apace for this jsomewhat lengthy letter. —I am, eto., I TVririAittt»n