THE BOROUGH LOANS.
We trust that those who wish to see the streets of A T ew .Plymouth put in proper order and justice done to the electric lighting undertaking, will not allow on this occasion a disgruntled, reactionary minority to keep the town hack. In connection .with the previous poll, tilings were taken too much for granted, and no organised effort was made to carry the poll. On this occasion, however, the Chamber of Commerce and Tradesmen's Association have interested themselves in the poll, and their conference with the Mayor on Tuesday show* that they are satisfied Willi the proposals brought down by the council, and have pledged themselves to a.-sisl in carrying them at the poll, so that we may hope for sncli organisation on polling day as will ensure the success of the loan. The ratepayers only v, ant to be shown the trip position and the great majority will j'.ccord the proposals their support, liauiicotly ir. a and scattered bor-
ough like New Plymouth it is impossible to put all the streeta in good order out of rates. If once remade and tar-sealed out of loan the matter of maintenance should present no difficulty. The fact of the matter is that most of the roads requiring attention were not put down to carry the present traffic. They have been patched r.n patched, and unquestionably it would have been cheaper years ago to have torn them up and remade them. The Engineer has discarded t/lie patching policy, and all the work being done now is meant to be permanent. He is convinced it is a waste of good money to lay down now roads without tar-sealing them, and a good deal of the £IO,OOO loan is required for this purpose. The Engineer has the support of the Mayor and the Councillors, and it is the duty of the ratepayers to endorse such a sound and progressive policy, and .so bring the town into line with other places less pretentious than New Plymouth. There has been waste in the past without doubt, but that largely was because of incompetency of officials who should never have been entrusted with any borough work of importance. That, however, has to do with past councils, and not with the present one. If we are to have decent streets we must provide the money for them out of j loan. In regard to the electric lighting loan, it is clear that we have come to the limit of our present plant, and if we are to keep pace with the demands snd to increase profits we must provide extensions. The Council has brought down comprehensive proposals that will enable the department to treble its output of energy at very little extra running cost. The provision of a storage ■basin is one of the main features of the new scheme, with which the experts are fully satisfied. It is a fact ratepayers must bear steadily in mind that the electrical undertaking has cost them nothing in the past, but on the contrary it has been the means of earning considerable sums of money (which have been promptly used in further extensions) and provided them witli current and power of a first-class quality at rates as cheap as obtained in any other part of New Zealand excepting Christchurch, where the Lake Coleridge power is used. We have important industries springing up in New Plymouth which require a good deal of power, and it is very good business for us to be in a position to supply all the demands. With the extensions contemplated carried out New Plymouth will be in a particularly satisfactory position in regard to electricity, and the time will not be far distant when the increasing profits from"the undertaking will enable the borough to afford substantial relief in the matter of rates. It would therefore be suicidal for the ratepayers not to sanction the present carefully thought out andi comprehensive proposals.
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Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1918, Page 4
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659THE BOROUGH LOANS. Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1918, Page 4
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