BOROUGHS' MERGER

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1934, Page 3

BOROUGHS' MERGER

ON NORTH SHORK.

EXPERT HELP SUGGESTED.

COMMUNICATION TO MAYORS.

The amalgamation of the districts on the North Shore for the purpose of municipal administration has been discussed at various times in the last 20 years. Some three months ago, as the outcome of a conference of representatives of the four borough councils, the Birkenhead, Northcote and Takapuna representatives unanimously affirmed the principle of union. The Devonport representatives refrained from associating themselves with this decision, but expressed good will. A committee was then set up, with power to add Devonport representatives should that council subsequently appoint them. The Mayor of Birkenhead, Mr. George Mills, was appointed chairman of that committee.

The present position of the amalgamation proposals is set out in a communication from Mr. Mills to the respective Mayors. In this he states that although he ha.s not yet called the sub-committee to meet, he has taken the matter up with the Department of Internal Affairs, with a view to securing assistance. When in Wellington recently he interviewed the Minister, and he had reason to believe that the services of one of tho Departmental officers, possessed of the necessaiy ex pert qualifications to act on the subcommittee in an advisory capacity, could be secured.

"Before this is granted, however, the Department will require each council which desires to proceed further in the matter to pass a resolution affirming the principle of a unification of control 011 the North Shore," says Mr Mills. "It therefore seems to me that the next move is for the individual councils to pass such a resolution, and I respectfully surest that you forthwith obtain from your council a definite expression of its opinion on this subject."