THE GREATER AUCKLAND CRY

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 166, 14 July 1914, Page 4

THE GREATER AUCKLAND CRY

The Mount Albert Ratepayers' As- i sociation might very well have taken | its own Mayor and its Borough Council I into its confidence before approaching i the Mayor of Auckland, and opening negotiations with him for the inclusion of th.- Mount Albert district in Greater Auckland. However. Mr. McLean put the case clearly enough, from the official point of view, last night, and what we are principally concerned about just now is the question whether the time is opportune for such a proposal. On this subject we are entirely in agreement with the views expressed by the Mayor of Mount Albert. No doubt ' Greater Auckland is bound to come in , time; in fact, we have it already. The I inclusion of Grey Lynn, Parnell, and | Arch Hill in the city has extended its j limits far beyond the original metropolitan area, and no doubt in time I Auckland will expand till it is bounded on one side by the Manukau, on the other by the Waitemata, and the ; isthmus between is covered by one thickly populated city. But this is for [ tbe future, and so far as present condi-1 tions are concerned, we doubt if it is to the advantage of the city or the i surburban boroughs to hurry on this j natural process of development. There can be no doubt that, as Mr ' McLean reminded the (Mount Albert Borough Council last night, the city has j taken on band a great deal of adminis- | tratrve work and hea\y expenditure with i the reicent extension of its boundaries. ! Mount Albert is further removed from the centre of population and commercial activity than the other suburban districts recently included in Auckland; its local public works ore still in a very rudimentary *tage of growth; and it is a very serious question whether suburbs so situated will not do better for themselves and the city by preserving their own independence and individuality till they -have reached a higher level of growth. Of course it is impossible to lay down any rigid principle of limitation ; but we venture to suggest that the Greater Auckland which now lies inside the western boundary 'line of Grey Lynn. Arch Hill. Eden Terrace. Newmarket, and Parnell encloses an area which is sufficiently homogeneous to be combined easily under one central government, and sufficiently expensive to tax the capacity of the administrative authorities to the utmost. The case of rtemuera presents some exceptional features, because it is from the municipal point of view closely connected with the city, and far more highly developed than most of the other suburban districts: and it might well be discussed on its merits, and voted upon by tho ratepayers. But while we hesitate to dogmatize on such a question, we are quite clear about the general principle that it is unwise to hurry the greater Auckland policy too fast, or carry it too far. When the scheme wa<= first discussed years ago, we maintained that it was premature, and we believe that subsequent events •have fully justified the cautious and tentative attitude that we adopted. For the present it seems to us that as tbe city has assumed very heavy responsibilities through the recent extension of its boundaries, the wisest policy is to give the system or centralized administration time to strengthen and consolidate itself before going any further; and in our opinion, the outlvinjr districts, like Mount Albert. Which arc comparatively remote from Auckland City and relatively immature, will do better for themselves and the city if they follow the natural lines of self-development for a considerable time to come.