The Press. FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1871

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2494, 28 April 1871, Page 2

The Press. FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1871

If such an arrangement as we described yesterday ia not thought adequate to supplying the wants of the suburban districts, there is another alternative —they can be formed into so many separate municipalities. Tbat course has been followed in Victoria, with, we believe, satisfactory results. The Municipal Corporations Act, 1867, makes express provisionfor the purpose. The 9th clause enacts tbat "auy district lying wholly within one and the same province, not being a district wholly or in part comprised within the limits of any city, town or place specified in the first schedule " —that is in the case of Canterbury, not being a part of Christchurch, Lyttelton, Kaiapoi or Timaru — may be constituted a borough, provided that it " shall not exceed in area nine square miles, and shall have no point in such area distant more than six miles from any other point therein, and shall contaiu a population of inhabitant householders not less than two hundred and fifty." The manner of incorporation is as follows: —A petition must be presented to the Governor, signed by not less than one hundred resident householders, praying him to constitute the district, the proposed boundaries of which must be accurately specified in the petition, a borough under the Act. If within two months a counter petition, bearing an equal or greater number of signatures, has not been presented to the Governor, he may, if he thinks fit, issue a proclamation, in accordance with the prayer of the first petition, constituting the district, or any part of it, a borough. If the inhabitants of any of the districts vow in question choose to take advantage of these provisions, they will no doubt obtain all the powers they can possibly wish for. They will then be a municipality. They will have a Borough Council, with full authority to levy rates, to make bye-laws, to construct and repair streets, roads, bridges, &c, to make arrangements for the removal of sewage and the suppression of nuisances, to make and clean out gutters, drains, &c, to contract for lighting aud water supply— in short, to exercise all the powers now enjoyed by Municipal or City Councils. All the special requirements of the locality, as distinguished from those of the ordinary country districts, will be thoroughly cared for. On the other hand, there is the disadvantage that the cost will be heavy. Such an extension of the municipal system will involve a great multiplication of official machinery and expenses. Each of the newly constituted districts will require its own separate office and staff—its Town Clerk, Surveyor, Rate Collector, Inspector, &c. There are also various expenses incidental to the valuation of rateable property and preparation of ratepayers' rolls which would have to be separately incurred. These charges, all of which must be defrayed out of tbe rates, are scarcely

felt upon a large aggregate assessment, like that of Christchurcb, but a little place like Addington or Avonviile would probably find them a serious burden. We may observe, too, that it is rather hard on the Boad Boards, who have expanded large sums for the benetifc of these parts of their respective districts, aud have thereby materially nssisted their development, that they ehould be cut off from the district directly they have become well populated aud are beginning to return revenue. However, il seems to us that the choice lies between these two alternatives. Either the powers of the Eoad Boards must be enlarged, so as to include some parts of what is ordinarily the business of a Municipal Council; or the suburban districts must be formed into municipalities. Or the two plans might be combined One or two places where population is thickest might be brought under the Municipal Corporations Act, and the Boad Boards be left in charge of the rest, as at present, but with increased luhuiniatrative powers. Each course has its advantages aud drawbacks. If the suggested improvements- in the Eoad Board system are thought to answer the purpose, they can be carried into effect with little trouble and will be attended with little extra expense. In some respects, again, the municipal organisation is undoubtedly more efficient; the question is whether, j under existing circumstances; it would I not be found too elaborate and costly. We have no wish to press the adoption lof either plan in preference to the other. That is a point to be decided by the inhabitants, and must be determined to some extent by a consideration of the wants and resources of each district. Our only object is to call public attention to the subject. We have pointed out the urgency of the case, and have stated the pros and cons of such remedial measures as occur to us. That is all we can do. We hope the public, especially those who are immediately interested, will take the matter up, and that a full discussiou of it will lead to some practical issue.