BIRKENHEAD AND NORTHCOTE AMALGAMATION SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 147, 23 June 1902, Page 2

BIRKENHEAD AND NORTHCOTE AMALGAMATION SCHEME.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —With reference to the above i subject as reported in last night's "Star" in connection, with the meeting of the Birkenhead Burgesses' Association, may I retmest the favour of a short statement showing its bearing on the Northeote ratepayers. The 1901 census shows Birkenhead population 1057, and Northeote 709. By the Municipal Corporations Act, 1900, section _, sub-section 7, "where the population of any area is referred to such population shall be reckoned according to the last periodical census that has been taken," and by section 5, sub-section 0 of the same Act, 'jevery ward of a borough constituted under Part xvi. shall contain a population of not less than 1000." So that if the absorption of Northeote were to be effected now there would hot be sufficient, population to form two wards, so as to secure equality of representation. An adjustment of the rating values as required by the Hating Act, -1894, section 7-1 on the declared 1901' rolls (the figures of the 190, rolls are not yet available), -shows the annual value of Birkenhead as I'.'A'Z, and Northeote 3592, or approximately two to one, and on the combined value Birkenhead two-thirds and Northeote onethird. Birkenhead's permanent loan charges of J_7s would receive, a contribution of one-third, or £25 per annum from Northeote ratepayers, for which we should 'not receive the slightest benefit. Our whole general rates would ;be pooled with theirs, and we should not have any security that what we contributed would be spent in our own district. By waiting till the 190(5 census returns are available, and if our population has reached 1000, we might have a separate ward, but even with t_at we do not secure the control of our own rates effectively. The best way for Xorthcote to look after its own interests is to form a road board, which with its annual election ensures that the claims of the whole district can be quickly met by a frequent and direct appeal to the rater payers, and the money spent where it is raised. We certainly should save the £25 per annum we should otherwise, pay to Birkenhead for the honour of being absorbed by /the j borough. Again, the subsidy from the Government paid on the rates raised in a road district is twice that paid to a borough on the same amount. —I am, etc.. ALFRED WOODROFF_.