AMALGAMATION TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 94, 22 April 1925, Page 10

AMALGAMATION TALK.

MOUNT ALBERT XTJKEWARM,

BOROUGH COUNCIL'S ATTITUDE.

"We have been accused of not treating people fairly in regard to amalgamation," said Mr. L. E. Rhodes (Mayor) at last evening's meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council. "This council," he continued, "is quite willing to handle the question of amalgamation, and, if necessary hold a poll." He pointed out that at the request of the Ratepayers' Association the council had carefully considered the matter, and in reporting that amalgmation was against the ratepayers' interests, they had set forth all Nieir reasons for that decision in a communication to the association. Until the council received a petition, signed by 10 per cent of the electors, it would not be justified in incurring the expense of a poll. If half the electors desired amalgamation a small advertisement in the Press would surely induce a fifth of them to come "forward and sign the petition, instead of it having to be hawked from door to door.

Mr. R. H. Armstrong said that if the amalgamationists could not easily get ten per cent of the electors to sign the petition it was obvious the proposal was unpopular. He was sure, now that the facts were known, that it would be a difficult proposition to get ten per cent of the electors to sign another petition. One man had declared that people would order him away in nine cases out of ten if he took round a fresh petition.

The clerk. Mr. H. Utting, reported to the council that the recent petition had only 450 electors'. signatures, instead of 021, and was therefore informal.