THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1910. THURSDAY'S POLL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10084, 5 September 1910, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1910. THURSDAY'S POLL.

The importance to Masterton of the acceptance or rejection of the loan proposal on Thursday next, cannot be too strongly emphasised. The ratepayers of the town owe a duty to themselves and to posterity, ana, if they fail in that duty,' they will be morally responsible for the consequences. On the one hand there is the fact that the raising of a loan 0/ £31,000 will involve an additional tax, at 4 : } per cent, (which allows of a sinking fund of 1 per cent.), of £1395 per year. From this must be deducted a sum of £SOO which is ai present annually placed upon the estimates for sanitation. The maximum liability will, consequently, be only £895 per year, and the proceeds of the sale of the present site of the septic tank will somewhat reduci. this amount. There are, approximately, 2000 ratepayers in the borough, and, if the maximum amount of £895 is divided between them, they will each have to pay an additional 8s or 9s per year, or a little more than twopence each per week. Of course, aceording to the value of the property, some may pay "a little more, and some a little, less. But, striking the average, about twopence each per week is what the < 2000 ratepayers would have to pay. I 1 When it is remembered, however, I j that there, is a population of about I \

5000 in the town, the charge per capita would not be more than threefarthings per week. This is the enormous sum which Masterton is to be called upon to pay ! Can the people afford three-farthings apiece per week to secure the health of the community ? Or, is it necessary to wait for an outbreak of so-r.e fell disease before the inhabitants will accept the three-farthings liability ? Three-farthings on one hand and health and comfort on the other ! That is what the ratepayers have to decide between on Thursday next. It is true that when the drainage system is completed, house-owners in areas at present undrained will be put to the expense of connecting their premises with the mains. This, however, will not be a serious matter. Indeed, it will be a distinct saving in the long run, for people

will not have to pay the cost of sanitation, which at present amounts to treble the interest on the cost of connection. Interested persons have been exaggerating the importance of this aspect of the question ; but those who are most affected are not likely to be prejudiced on this account. Opponents of the drainage scheme have sought to make capital of the fact that the town is already responsible for loans amounting to C about £89,000. Assuming the figures to be correct, and that the £31,000 now proposed to be raised will bring the amount up to £120,000, what is the individual liability per ratepayer per week ? At 4 per cent.

it amounts to £4,800 per year, or about one shilling per week apiece. When it is remembered, however, that the rates are paid indirectly by tenants, whose names do not appear on the ratepayers' roll, it is only fair to spread the responsibility over the whole community, and to ask, what does each inhabitant pay ? On the basis of a population of 5000, each unit would contribute less than fivepence per week. What an enormous sum to pay for lighting, water, drainage, macadamized streets, footpaths, etc ! But this is beside the question. What the ratepayers are now concerned,about is ,an additional rate to themselves, of about twoi pence per week per head. In this connection it mvrt be pointed out that a considerable number of ratepayers are absentees. The basis of population is, therefore, the proper one upon which to argue. We have, then, on the one hand an increased tax of three farthings per head (which means only a farthing per head for the first year), and on the i other the immediate advantage of the money being expended in the town, the satisfaction of knowing that the health of the community will be safeguarded, and the pleasure of reflecting upon the fact that posterity will be grateful for the forethought of those who placed health and comfort before mercenary considerations. Which, then, is it to be ? Three-farthings a week apiece, or the peril of an epidemic ?