The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 21. GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 295, 22 January 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 21. GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH.

We think it might be said with perfect certainty that a greater and more healthy interest is now being taken in the affairs of local government throughout the whole of this district than ever before. The process of abolishing road boards in the vicinity of the borough and their merging into the county was for months past kept the ratepayers' in these districts busy watching their interests. In other localities the proposed formation of a town district has been a source of education to the ratepayers' concerned. County matters generally have been more than ordinarily interesting during the pas't twelve months, and consequently there are few county rate- j payers indeed who are not thoroughly conversant with county government. In the borough, also, primarily owing to the large improvement schemes that are j in contemplation, the burgesses are showing an interest that is the best possible incentive to progressive and economical management on the part of the Borough Council. For this satisfactory state of affairs, the development 01 vhe municipality's electric lighting enterprise is, we believe, largely responsive. The burgesses are aware that this undertaking, which represented a very considerable capital expenditure within the past five years, is already showing a fair margin of profit, and they have been given reasons to believe that the considerable extensions that are now necessary to meet the demands on the electric current will result in profit-earning at a greater rate. The chief public question now before the citizens is that of increasing the output of the electrical works to meet a steadily growing market, and to provide mocive power for the proposed tramways. Mis Worship Liit Mayor has recently indicated his' intention to make these suDjects questions for public consideration, «ud the reality of public interest was siiown on Thursday, when a large deputation of business people waited on him to secure his consent to re-nomination in order that he might pilot the schemes through the Council to the ratepayers. As we pointed out last week, Mr. Cliinie's report on the water-power available showed that the present generating capacity of the works could be almost quadrupled at comparatively small cost. The Council is now securing a report: from its'officers on the cost of the additional generating plant, and of delivering the additional current in town." This will include, the cost of new plant, carrying wires, etc. When this is available the Council will have an approximate knowledge of the expenditure necessary to take full advantage of the water-power available. The next question is that of securing a report on the tramway scheme, and the cost of installation. The suburban districts are deeply interested in this question, and the time i s ' now opportune to revive Hie scheme of a Greater New Plymouth. The borough is already making necessary preliminary arrangements in anticipation of tramways by providing additional roads to carry the heavy traffic of the town and relieve Devon Street, and by increasing the width of the main thoroughfare by a corresponding reduction in the width of our footpaths, it should be perfectly obvious, though it is not essential to the initiation of a tramway scheme, that the work would be greatly expedited and more satisfactorily conducted were the Scheme under the control of one local body than if the fo.ads of two or more bodies were traversed. The alternative to a united district, of course, would be the formation of a special rateable tramway district, as has been done elsewhere. The Greater New Plymouth scheme lias, however, much more to recommend it than the mere convenience of tramways. We believe it can be shown that in almost every case suburban ratepayers would find it considerably to their advantage financially to be included in the borough area. Mr. Ti'Sc'i is. we understand, at present making arrangements to place before tiie ratepayers of the proposed St. Aubyn town district —the constitution of which will probably be gazetted before March 31st, now that the county lias withdrawn its opposition—the advantage oi merging into (ha borough instead. A '■j representative selection of the rateable properties in the district has been made, and a comparative, statement compiled I showing the .saving that, would be efi'ect- | ed in rates under I ho borough scheme, i A property, the capital value of whicn j is £(S(!fi, at present pays t'fi 2s (id annually in rales (which include road rate. - county rate and borough w*tor charges)* j In the borough, the property would pay I £3 Is. A £1145 pro per tv paying ,£0 17s IOJ would pay £5 7s Cd:' a £.d2o ■properly paying £4 lis (Id would pay £1 10s 7d; ;t £3(ils prop.-rtv paving £2O ISs fid would pay CI7 2s- a SL'fW property paying ,£'■', ''2s ."id would pay £1 .'ls; and so on. In the aggregat", nineteen properties (representing ? fair average of all classes) of a capital value of £22,042, which now contribute t'> 10s 7d in rates, would, were that, district merged in the borough, only have tn pay £Ol 7s 9d, or little more than half. These comparison*' might be pursued almost indefinitely, but enough has heo'ii I shown at present to prove that the j question is one worthy of immediate ! and serious consideration by the subj urban ratepayers. The main objection we have heard urged is that the borough by-laws would act oppressively i» the suburban areas, particularly with regard to the keeping of fowls, pigs. etc. But obviously it would be ridiculous to apply bv-laws framed to govern the congested area of the town, to the more sparsely settled suburbs, and that little difficulty could easily be got over byconstituting an inner' and m outer district. There is not the, slightest doubt that sooner or later the present, conditions will give way to a Greater New Plymouth scheme, as has been done in all the leading towns in recent years. The sooner, however, a forward move is made the sooner will the advantages of the I modern proposal be reaped by the ratepayers. ..;.„ ,r ,£ V, %&■&,

NEW RAILWAY TIME-TABLE. There is a possibility of a new railway time-table, as affecting certain sectional of the North Island, being brought into operation shortly, though the Minister of Railways when questioned on the matter on Tuesday (says the New Zealand Times), would not make any very definite statement. He mentioned that before the present time-table was compiled he hud received the representations of the various Chambers' of Commerce, as they were stated to represent the i people of the respective districts in which they were situated. Now nc found, judged by the results, that the Chambers did not reflect the opinions of the people of the different districts. " This time," he said, " I am going t j take independent means through my own channels' of ascertaining what the wishes of the people are." He was not yet certain, but probably some alteration would be made on the Napier and New Plymouth sections. The Wairarapa time-table was giving satisfaction to everybody except Masterton and Eketahuna. The lower end was quite satisfied with it. Regarding the Napier-New Plymouth section, Mr. Millar made it ■quite plain that if an alteration were desired there the connection with each -place in one day would have to be given *ip. They could not get through from New Plymouth to Napier or vice versa except under the present time-table. The Minister's statement should afford the liveliest satisfaction locally, and the local authorities should hasten to assure him that the Napier-New Plymouth eonnoction can be thrown overboard without causing any misgiving so far as Taranaki is concerned.