STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 229, 15 February 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

(from Our Reoident lieporttr)

THE BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS

THii MAY OK INTERVIEWED,

The Daily News' Stratford representative approached the Mayor on Friday for some iut'oi"ni;itiou concerning the loan proposals which are to be submitted to the ratepayers on March 1(1 next.

The amount of the loan is £42,000, and it is to be borrowed for the purpose' of effecting street improvements, re-erect-ing the Patea bridge to the full width of Broadway, extending the drainage service, extending the water 1-elieula tion and purifying the water supply. "As far as the works scheduled are concerned," said His Worship. "the\ are all considered necessary by the Borough Council. This is borne out by the fact that the proposal to submit the loan scheme to the ratepayers was carried Irresolution at the Council table. j.' o ' r street improvement it is proposed to borrow £20.000, and each item in the schedule is a necessary work. It includes formation and metalling of streets, the making of footpaths, all kerbed,' and channelling where most necessary. Much of the money will be spent in the by-streets, and I would like to point out that these people in the by-streets are rated for various loans, the expenditure of which has gone to make the main streets and_ to provide drainage and other facilities for the town centre. I hope that those peopb who are enjoying the benefit of that expenditure will not now vote against giving these others reasonable facilities. It is a fact that very often ratepayers who are well served object to any rate being struck that will touch their pockets and not bring them a direct benefit. Tn some, of the side streets the roads are merely gravelled, with rough shingle, and there are no further footpaths. These are to be provided for in the loan, and the streets will be put into such order as has been fpiite impossible without a steam road roller, which we now have."

"Talking of plant, your Worship, pro-' vision is made in the loan for acquiring further machinery, is it not?" queried the reporter. that is so. The present Council . i> in favor of purchasing a stone-crusher, which will effect considerable economy, but it has been decided not to do anything further in the mutter till after the election of councillors. The new Council 1 will have to deal with that matter, hut ' after our experience in doing our own; crushing:, even with a hired plant, there is little doubt that a crusher will*be :ic- 1 quired. It may also be found advisable i to obtain a tar-spraying machine, or anyother plant that will lead to economy in the construction and maintenance of our streets and footpaths. "It is hardly necessary for me to enlarge upon the matter," continued His Worship, "for the ratepayers are in full ] possession of the details of the loan ' scheme. Xothing has been done in secret. Every meeting lias been open to ' the press, and the discussions and de- I cisions have been reported. llatepaycrr j know my views on the various items j .scheduled, and there would seem to be no need for me to state my attitude with, j regard to the various issues. Ido hope, j though, that the loan proposals will be I considered on broad grounds, and that I the ratepayers will vote for what tht'.y ' conceive to be in the best interests and ; for the advancement of Stratford. It \ is quite impossible to do all these neces- ! sarv works out of revenue. In a growing town like this the call for opening 1 up streets and installing water and drainage services is so great as to make borrowing imperative if the town is to progress as it should do. It should be noted that the carrying of any one part of the -oan will tend to ease the call on the gi icral rates, and liberate some of the rate revenue for expenditure on new work required. "I am strongly in favor of borrowing for the purpose of purifying the town water supply. This I consider absolutely necessary, either by a settling tank or mechatycal idters. or both. So is the drainage urgently necessary, and on these two matters there should be unanimity on the part of the people. Drainage is not a luxury but a necessity where it is proposed to be laid, and will make for the better sanitation of the borough. I consider the water and drainage loans absolutely essential, but in this connection 1 do not wish to be misunderstood, as the street improvements scheduled are also very necessary." "Do you intend to borrow the whole of the loan monev right awavV "Xo." said Tlis'Worship. "It will be raised in sums as required, and none will be borrowed unless it can be obtained at f> per cent, interest, apart from other charges, such as half per cent, sinking fund. "The rating in Stratford," continued His Worship, "even after this C4'2,()fHl loan is carried, will compare favorably with any towns of like size and similar approximate unimproved value in 'he Dominion."

The .Milvor qnoicd tli" following return. i>re]>arc<l liy (lie town clerk, showing I lie comparative rating in a number Of —

Towns.

Population. No. of ratepayers. Total rates 1011-12

In Nc-w I'lviiiou!!i tin' average paid l>y each ratepayer is L'S lis ldil, and at Inglcwood 17 2s 4(1. "Furthermore. the principle of borrowing for these permanent works is a sound one. Kvcn wove it possible to ilo all this work out of revenue, that would mean thai the present ratepayers would have to bear the whole of the cost, l'y borrowing, and making the loan repayable over a period of forty years, we ensure that part of the burden will fall on posterity, who. of course, will reap the benefit of the expenditure.'

STRAY PARAGRAPHS "Football is a pood thin<r in training people to control temper.'' said the S.M. at yesterday's Court sitting, "but apparentlv a motor-car is a more strenuous test." Tt was a ease brought by the borough inspector against a commercial traveller whose motor-car performed very, very badly tin- other day. and instead of landing him at his journey's cud - forty miles from here —before dark, landed' him in Stratford after dark and without lights. Tie had had thirteen

stops in about twelve miles. Had exl ha lifted his bat i en- ;iii<l his temper, hut I not Ixia vocabulary, as the, inspector I found when he demanded the. offender's I name. The car had a "spare'' on one J side, a flat tyro on th. other, and Ihe carbide for the lamps was perished and I would not give oil' any gas tor lighting. There was a blue haze floating over the car, and a smell of sulphur. The inspector must have located the car by this. His demand for tlio offender's inline caused n brilliant flash, and somebody said something about "a few minutes wit:> the inspector in a side street" and much more to that effect. Xow it is recorded that Billie Barlow does not hanker after punishing men who break the by-laws, but merely does it when lie has to. He is said to be a man who put up with a lot, but this was a little more than even his idyllic temperament could si ami. He took the number of ihe ear. enlisted the services of the police sergeant, and located the motorist, wlio poured out his tale of woe. yesterday morning to Mr. Kenrick, S.M. The .Magistrate appeared sympathetic, and likely to let him down lightly. But here was proved the advisability of giving a soft- answer to turn away wrath. That answer not having been given to the inspector the other night, he now informed the S.M. of the attitude adopted liv the offender. Pined 10s and costs.

Sundry cyclists were fined yesterday for by-law breaking. It is remarkable that the fines inflicted week by week have no deterrent effect. Probably some day an application will be made to have the fines increased. Such a thing happened 011 the West Coast once. Mr. W. 0. Kciific'k. S.M., tells the story. The borough solicitor, who was also Crown Prosecutor, instructed by the Borough Council, asked for the infliction of heavier lines, as the penalties were not having the desired effect of stopping people from using the streets as grazing paddocks, and the gardens were suffering. it the very next sitting the borough ranger had the borough solicitor, the Mavor, and two councillors "on the carpet," for straying cattle. The lines were increased. Soon afterwards it may have been only a coincidence—the ranger was "sacked.''

Annual meeting of the A. & P. Association to-day. "When are you going to take that stuff to the station?" angrily demanded a business man of a carrier yesterday. "When yon can get my horse near those elephants," came the quick reply. The pay-outs of the three dairy factories administer from Mr. T. 11. Penn's office for January milk are: Ngaire. {.3iißß; l.owaarth, £2019; Cardiff, £2l-22.

We will have enough of polls and elections soon. The town clerk will lie faced soon with the election of Mayor and councillors. Hospital Board and Harbor Board on April 30, as well as a poll on the half-holiday question. The loan proposals will be submitted to the ratepayers' poll on March 19. The half-holiday poll is to be taken on the question of Thursday or Saturday, under the provisions of section 17 of the Shops and Office#! Act. 1008." First of all. the Council has to agree to the poll being carried, and this must be granted on a petition signed by a certain percentage of the burgesses.

I BERNARD'S PICTURES- TO-NIGHT ] The lust screening of the current fine j programme takes place to-night. The j Ks.-anay feature, "Forgiven in Death," is a brilliantly acted tragedy, the prin- • cipal actor being Mr. €. M. Anderson, j the actor cow-boy. The story tells of j iwo cow-boys, who love the sheriff's I daughter. One succeeds, and marries the girl, but the marriage is kept secret, and I when the "boys" depart on a prospect--1 ing tour. one. is not aware that he has 1 lost a sweetheart. Letters arrive only for one. and his mate is the one who always clears the mail box. He never gets the messages from his wife. Indians at- ! tack the lonely shanty, and'the married ! man is wounded fatally. Touched with compassion, his mate runs and gets the letters, which have never been opened. The next two scenes are of great dramatic power, and the end of both men ! comes swiftly but surely.

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