BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2404, 20 January 1909, Page 5

BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS

ROADS, DRAINAGE, AND RE SERVES.

opinions' of ratepayers

A “Times” reporter yesterday sought the opinions of ratepayers upon the proposals of the Borough Council to borrow £112,540 for the purpose of providing drainage-, street improvements, and -recreation reserves for Gioborne. One business raai. who has property within the, area that would, if the proposals art adopted, be immediately sewered, salt, that he intended to .vote for all the loans,' as, in his opinion, the only wa; to push Gisborne ahead was to bring it up-to-date, and he explained that that conk! not be done -with out money. “I am of tkopinion,” ho remarked, “tin the town can -well stand tls loan. I have every faith in the future of Gisborne and my one do :iro is to see needed improvement carried out. When I was in the Ok; Country, some months ago. I forum that property in the City oi London was rated up to 7s 6d in the £, and Limavady, a small place near Belfast, in Ireland, is rated up to 6s 8d in the £. That town is smaller that Gisborne, is not nearly so progressive, and the streets are no better than they are here. In studying the proposals I think the ratepayers should consider the increase that will take place in the value of their properties. A house well-drained and facing on So a well-formed street and footpath is always worth more than, a house in an out-of-the-way place, and T think tffe ratepayers should take advantage of the proposals now be!ore them and vote for drainage and good roads, provided, of course, if they think the money will bo judiciously spent. “In fact,” continued the speaker. “I would go further and would cast my vote to borrow £7OOO or £BOOO to lock the Waimata and Taruheru Rivers. To anyone who has seen the locks on the "Thames at work it must be apparent that a lock near the Kniti bridge would benefit the town. Lot the ratepayers look at the question from a sanitary and recreation point of view. If the water iif the two rivers was raised to a higli-tide level those unsightly mudbanks would be covered, and the offensive smells would be avoided. The river would oe available for boating at all times, and T venture to sav that the Council or iho Harb-r Board would reap a substantial revenue for the right to let out boats on hire and from watermen’s fees. If the money could begot at 4 per cent 'tile interest would noi be more than £4OO a year and the imi poveme.nl in property values would moie than meet that amount. There are some objections to a lockon tile river' on the ground that the rush of water _ would interfere with the shipping ir the lower riv r, but there- would be no interferenoby the outrush of a small quantity of water and a wen across the waffr near the Krnti Bridge would do much to keep tne river’channel frc-e from silt. I think," si id the speaker, in conclusion, "that ike Borough Council should also place this proposition before the puolic.” " , In discussing the proposals wn.li the reporter a bank manager smith at he hoped the ratepayers would vote solidly for the drainage )oan._ as Gisborne is much behind other New Zealand towns in the matter of sanitation. Feilding. Palmerston North, Napier. Nelson, and other towns about the size of Gisborne all have their drainage systems. Of course, there must be an increase in rates to pay for the -benefits; the ratepayer? cannot expect to have their properties sewered without meeting the cost, bu ! the town is quite able to meet the call. It is all very well for someratepayers to ask for the postpone ment of the carrying out or the scheme, hut if an outbreak of sick ness occurred the very first thing those same .people would do wou-.d he to Idackguiijd the Council for not forcing drainage upon the lOv. u. “Drainage is not a luxury,” continued the speaker. “It’s a necessity aim it will add materially to the liealt-i of the district and the value of property. The drainage scheme is tinmost important- of all the propose.k and those ratepayers within the three town areas that would be immediately connected can consider themselv c> fortunate to he the first to be benefited, while the -people in tlie other areas should vote for the construction of the main outfall sewer, and when that- is ready, ‘for the Council to extend the system."