FRANKLEIGH PARK.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1921, Page 5

FRANKLEIGH PARK.

PROPOSED ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. QUESTION sOP A LOAN. The proposal to re-metal and tar-seal Frankleigh Park roads was the subject of a deputation to last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council. Messrs. N. Allen, J. Hall and F, W. Frethey attended the meeting to place the ratepayers’ proposals before members. Mr. Allen reviewed the efforts made with a view to improving the roads, and said they had expressed a willingness to rate themselves to provide -for a reading loan, on condition that the council would subsidise them to the extent of 25 per cent. He said that there were about 52 chains of roads needing attention; during the last winter they had cost something for patching and were not in a satisfactory condition. The amount of the proposed loan was £ll4lB 18s 6d, the annual interest on which would be £72 12s, at the rate oi £5 12s 6d per cent. This would mean a rate of 2J9Bd based on the old valuation, £6655. He understood that In the laat year the roads had cost the council £5O for patching, and if the proposed work was carfied out the annual cost would be only about £2O. The amount which would be paid by the council in subsidy first would be about £350.

The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) expressed the opinion that it was hardly worth while going on with the proposal until the council ascertained whether the Government was prepared to consider advancing the money. The question of a poll could then be decided. Personally he doubted whether the Advances to Settlers Department would consider, at the present time, an application to lend money to a district within a borough.

Mr. Allen pointed out that there was no need to take a poll; the signatures of the ratepayers consenting to the loan would be sufficient.

The Mayor agreed that a poll could be dispensed with. Personally he was in favor of granting a subsidy to a body of ratepayers who proposed taking some steps to assist themselves, as was the ease in this intance. Subsequent! v it was decided, on the motion of Crs. W. Rmnball and V. Griffiths. that in the event of the loan monev being available a straight-out subsidy of 25 per cent, be granted. The mover pointed out that as the proposals would not be advanced much for some time, the grant would not come out of this year’s revenue.