BOROUGH OR COUNTY?

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 167, 16 July 1924, Page 7

BOROUGH OR COUNTY?

■—• PETITION FOR CHANGE OVER. COMMISSION AT HAMILTON. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. A commission is sitting in Hamilton to-day to consider a petition signed by 100 ratepayers of the Maeroa and Everton Estates and Jolly's Subdivision, to have their properties (at present in Waipa County) included in Hamilton Borough. The area lies beyond Frankton. Tiie commission consists of Messrs. H. A. Young, S.M., Mr. Marsh (Commisioner of Lands at Auckland), and Mr. G. Hyde (Government Valuer). Mr. T. Reekie (chairman of the Maeroa Ratepayers' Association) represented the petitioners, Mr. A. Swarbrick, junior, appeared for the Waipa County Council, Mr. J. R. Fow (Mayor) for Hamilton Borough, Mr. N. G. Gribble for the Te Rapa Drainage Board, and Mr. C. L. MacUiarmid for certain ratepayers living- east of Maitai Street. Mr. Reekie said the ratepayers of the district he represented were very closely settled, and it was very necessary for them to have seweraae, water, footpaths and street lighting. These they could not poesibly get from the county. Mr. Swarbrick said Waipa County offered a ntutral attitude. Its only objection was in regard to the -line of This they wanted altered, so as to avoid dual control of Forest Lake and part of the Main South Road. Mr. Fow said the borough ofi'ered no objection to inclusion, provided ratepayers in the area pledged themselves to provide, by way of a special loan, not I less than £50,000. The council also favoured single control of roads. ! Mr. Gribble said the Te Rapa Drainage Board's attitude was similar to that of the Waipa County Council. So long as the board's interests were protected ; they had no objection to inclusion. Mr. MacDiarmid suggested that it would be advisable for a poll to be taken in the two areas as to whether the areas should come in or not.