SOUTH ROSKILL'S CLAIM.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 8

SOUTH ROSKILL'S CLAIM.

AMALGAMATION WITH CITY.

FOSTERING "INDIVIDUALITY."

EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMISSION,

The hearing of the. petition or the South Roskill Ratepayers' Association for the amalgamation of that portion Of the Mount Roskill ROad District with the city or Auckland was commenced to-day. Mr. J. G. Hewitt, S.M., presides over the .commission,' and with him are .'sitting" Mr. Campbell (Commissioner of Crown Lands), and Mr. McClintock . (District Valuer). Yesterday the members of the commission made a tour of the. district. Mr. ' Milne appeared for the petitioners, Mr. Meredith for the Mount Roskill Road Board and Mr, Stanton for the City Council. . . Mi-. 'Milne said the South Roskill district occupied approximately two-thirds of the area, and contained one-third of (he population of the Mount Roskill Road District. It had ratable property of approximately £300,000 in value. One of the chief grounds of the ,peti- { tion was that there was.no community of interest between the southern portion and the eastern and Green wood's ;Corner portions. The southern district had not direct representation On tho board. They wanted to progress, and had definitely expressed their wishes at the 1927 poll on the question of the amalgamation of tho whole district with Auckland, but .had been defeated on the vote.

The commission, which had sat to consider the question of the elevation of the road district to that of a borough, had reported that there was not sufficient community of interost in the district, and that the' southern district was not ripe for such municipal control as would thus bo given. The commission, howover, looked with favour upon the idea of amalgamation with the city. -South Ro.ski.ll wa.s at present in an excellent position for amalgamation in the city. It was linked with Auckland by five main roads, .and the municipal services were of a character that they would be far more beneficially administered by the city, in view of future development. Samuel Trevor Dibble, surveyor, and secretary of the South Roskill Ratepayers' Association,, gave evidence in support of the petition.. Mr. Meredith: You have stated that the South Roskill district has at present practically no individuality. Don't you think it would lose a great deal more individuality 'if it was amalgamated with the city?"

Witness: No, it would receive a very definite increase of its individuality. It would relieve the parochial interest and come under the wider administration of the city and would therefore benefit. - So you are parochial in Roakill, but would'not be so in the city ?—Exactly. "Ratepayers Are Never Satisfied." Mr. Stanton (for the City Council)i: I think you have no doubt about the fact that amalgamation would be beneficial for South Roakill? Witness: None whatever. Have you also considered whether it would be beneficial for the city?—lt would be beneficial to them as well, because at present there would be no difficulty in taking the district over, and there may be great difficulties when the area becomes closely settled. Mr. Stanton;' That is entirely a speculative matter. We require something a good deal more definite than that. Evidence in support of the petition was given by Edward Albert Herd, nurseryman, of Hillsbor'o' Road. A touch of humour was introduced into the pror ceedings when Mr. Meredith was questioning witness regarding the rating methods in the Road Board district. "Apparently'you are not satisfied with the present system," remarked Mr. Meredith. <.'...' "I am certainly not," replied.Mr. Herd. "Ah„ well," returned Mr., Meredith, "you are not alone. I can assure you no ratepayer ever is. satisfied." (Laughter.) Mr. J. ,W. Shackelford, another witness in favour of the petition, said it was the opposition of the ratepayers in the Greenwood's Corner district which prevented amalgamation two years ago. The hearing is proceeding. (Proceeding.)