NORTH SHORE BOROUGHS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 113, 16 May 1927, Page 16

NORTH SHORE BOROUGHS.

UNION AND TOWN PLANNING.

REFERENCES AT NORTHCOTE.

The merging of Birkenhead and Northcote into one borongh was introduced by the Mayor of Birkenhead, Mr. E. G. Skeates, one of the official guests at the opening of the session of the Birkenhead and Northcote Orphans' Club on Saturday evening. He pointed out that polls had been taken some seven years ago to ascertain the wishes of the people of the respective districts on this issue. Birkenhead had said, "Yes," but Northcote had replied, "No." fHe had every reason to believe opinion at Northcote now was distinctly favourable to the change. Water supply and similar large questions could be much more effectively and economically dealt with by union. Should, therefore, overtures be renewed in the near future, he felt sure Birkenhead would be prepared to again look at the matter just as favourably. The Mayor of Northcote, Mr. A. E. Greenslade, who followed, agreed that union of the two districts was very desirable, and he also considered amalgamation of the other North Shore areas could be advantageously effected. In order to promote any such amalgamation, or with Greater Auckland, he would readily relinquish his present office of Mayor. Thus early in their new term of office, the members of both the Birkenhead and Northcote Borough Councils were displaying every disposition to wark together where community of interest was involved, and to-night they would sit around the same table" in the Northcote Council Chamber to receive the director of town planning, Mr. R. B. Hammond, and discuss with him preliminaries connected with town planning and the procedure to be observed. The liveliest satisfaction was expressed by Mr. Greenslade at the lead given by the Devonport Borough Council last Wednesday in regard to a town planning scheme for the North Shore, and he had every confidence such would be approached in a similar broad and comprehensive manner by all other North onore interests. •