COUNTY ROADS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2244, 16 July 1908, Page 2

COUNTY ROADS.

THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

MEETING OF TE All-AI SETTLERS

Despite tho extremely inclement and boisterous weather, a fair attendance of settlers gathered togetliei last night in the Te Aral schoolroom to hear the views of Councillors " • D. Lysnar and H. White on the suggested loan of £200,000 for tho improvement of county roads. Mr. Charles Gibson was unanimously voted to tile chair, and in a tew words explained the object pi tlie meeting. Ho was slightly inclined to bo sceptical when, he heard oi rowing money witlimi-t-ap oreasmOrale rates, but he would caTl'Dapffif Cr. Lysnar to address the meeting. Cr. W. D. Lysnar, who was received with applause, said that ho was pleased to see so good an attendance of settlers on such a bad night, as it really evidenced the interest taken in the matter by tho Arai settlers. The object of the meeting was, he took it, to hear the position regarding the proposed loan, and to what extent their pockets would be affected. His policy was to get the best results for the least expenditure, and he considered that the existing state of things was unsatisfactory. Tlie only way for them to improve their roads was either to increase their rates or to borrow money, and tho Council had exhausted tlie right to obtain loans under the “Local Bodies Loans Act” until 1910. The Council was practically unanimous for borrowing, and the money available at present was not sufficient to improve the roads, which were steadily going back. The cost of maintenance would be reduced by half and the rate also. Figures were quoted of- tho expenditure last year, and the speaker went on to say that the present proposal was to borrow at 1 ner cent interest and $ per cent sinking fund, thus not putting all the burden on the present generation, but leaving some of it to posterity, whom lie thought should bear a share. Tho admission of Councillors was that the money available could not improve the roads, but was barely sufficient to keep them in renal r. At present the settlers were only getting, about 10s worth for every £1 spent, through sufficient quantities of metal, to make good solid roads not being available. Cr. Lysnar then quoted further figures from the prepared schedule of county rates and expenditure for the next five years, and claimed that a Jd rate on the present valuation, with the pronosed loan, would leave them. £SOOO to the good, whereas now, with the Id rate they had a big overdraft. The Council had annrov’ed of a £IOO,000 loan, but had decided to wait for -he new valuations. The new valuations did not, however, come into torcc until the end of March, and he then had felt it necessary to give notice of motion in the Council to go for a £200.000 loan. Tlie recommendation of tlie committee apoointed to go into the matter had been, that the money should be apportioned to the value of each riding. The Te Arai riding would thus be entitled to £23,530, according to the present rating of the riding. This monoy. would therefore be available, in addition to £14,000 of Governmentmoney which had already been voted. It was also possible that the ridings could pay off any special bridge loans out of their ouota of the proposed loan money. The tightness of the money market at present had been referred to by Councillors as an. argument against going on with the loan at present. He. however, thought that this was all the more reason why they should go on. A Yoke: Can you get the money? Cr. Lysnar: Yes; we only require to borrow £50,000 at a time and more as it is needed. Immediately the loan was passed they could get a*bank to give wliat was immediately required as an overdraft at a high rate for temporary purposes. Then they could go into the market and place the loan at 4 per cent. The Council had borrowed £IB,OOO by ' pledging their rates, and- surely they could raise £50.000 by pledging their loan. Even if they could not get the money (which was a. most unlikely thing) the only trouble and cost would be the £4O or £SO spent in taking a poll of the ratepayers. The apportionment of the loan was the only trouble in the Council. Some of them wanted more than their quota, while other© , wished to wait for the new valuations in the .hope of getting more. Every riding would undoubtedly inoreaso in valuation, and it nnglit be that Te Arai would got £IOOO or so more by waiting, but they would lose a summer and two winters before being able to proceed to improye t-heir roads. All he asked was that tlie Council should let the matter go before the ratepayers, and not endeavor to decide it themselves. Itshould certainly be referred to the settlers, and a public meeting held ni every riding. If then they decided that they did not want the loan, but preferred bad roads, and to pav a Id rate instead of jd, he would then sit down and say no more, and when they got bogged in their bad roads lie would be glad and would not sympathise with .them. (Applause.) Cr. H. \\ Into said that the proposal had Ins heartiest sympathy and support, and ho thought that- £200,000 could easily bo spent in tlio district to advantage. The difference in the Council arose over the allocation of the money winch was undoubtedly a stumbling block. He could not agree to -a distribution of the money on a i ,r^' Vea i' 0 d Vi,lua ; tlon i an d wanted to get a larger quota of tho loan for the Arm riding. He did not thinklie would bo doing right in supporting adstnbation on the old valuations. ter betere H?J 0r + 0f br,,1 S ln g tho matter beloi e the ratepayers, and did not tlm ” his ri( b’ n g was ltitled to, but lie did want to n-et a fair quota. He would like to see a different apportionment of tho money and even if it meant a little delay he thought that they should wait for the new valuations. e A number of questions liaviim been was"ciriiel the f - iimv \ n « resolution nas earned unanimously, “That this meeting » of the oninion that the suggested loan of £200,000 should be tL C ,+ P aCWI *7 tho Council before the, ratepayers for their consideraThe meeting concluded at a late hour with the passing of votes of thanks to tho speakers and tho cliair-