THE WARD QUESTION AT BIRKENHEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 213, 7 September 1900, Page 5

THE WARD QUESTION AT BIRKENHEAD.

At a. meeting of the Bifkenhead Borough Council last evening Ci\ Gasepigne said the question of dividing the borough into wards had beett i?e^ quently mentioned, and there were advantages and disadvantages to : /be gained. , ' - ! Gr. Kay: It is-a. matter fot a public meeting1. ; Cr. Gascoigne said the Council could initiate the movement if they" liked. All that was necessary was that.onfef ourth of the burgesses should petiijidn i the Governor, and he would then divide ithe, borough into wards. The effect would, no doxibt, be to remove &■ great deal of the present friction1 between the different districts. fcacli; wM would get its own funds to spend* and there would be no more complaints about money being' all spent in one part of the borough. Any ward also could specially rate itself, for I carrying' dut any local work dfesarecL !Of course, it would increasfe thS town clerk's workj and he would be entitled, to an increase of salary. Personally, he was in favour of the proposal* ft Avas for the Council to start the petition if they thought propei% or if not; then the burgesses themSelvesi cdiild take the matter up. L '." , "'- Cr. Wallace asked what would happen if one-fourth petitioned forwards and three-fourths against. i Cr. Gascoigne supposed the mavfement in that case would be 'defeated. The Mayor (Mr C. E. Ihutton) reaid portions of the. Act, from wiiieh it appeared that the number of wards for a borough like Birkeiihead would be three. ' -" . :. .■;• , No steps were taken in the matter.