MORE REPRESENTATION REQUIRED.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14275, 10 February 1912, Page 6

MORE REPRESENTATION REQUIRED.

LINWOOD AND ST. ALBAXS WARDS.

IMPUTATIONS TO WAIT OX CITY COUNCIL.

A deputation from tho St. Albans Burgesses' Asociation, consisting of Messrs W. H. Gulliver, L. B. Brian, G. Hyde, J. R. Blank, and F. Cole waited upon the Linwood Ratepayers' Association last night to urgo joint action in representing to the City Council tho necessity for increased representation on the Council of the fcJt. Albans and Linwood Wards. Mr Gulliver said that for some years oast St. Albans had felt they had not had proper representation on the City Council. As far back as 1907 they were only 130 short of a representation of three members, and since then the district had forged ahead. Sydenham had been enabled to, get things done through having four representatives, sheer force of numbers. They understood Linwood also wanted more representatives, but the only way they could cot them was to join with St. Albans in approaching the Council for that purpose. They wished Linwor-'l to join them in waiting as a deputaV.on' upon tho City Council to secure the extra representatives at the next Mayoral election, instead of waiting till the next Council elections.

Mr Hyde said lie had that day secured the latest census figures which had just come to hand. They were: — Central Ward 17,602, Sydenham 14,816, St. Albans 10,970, and Linwood 9728, a- total of 53:116. If the'ward system were done away with, said Mr Hyde, the Central Ward would rule the roost. What did the people in one ward know of tho requirements in other wards. Jt might be possible if the ward system were dono away with that all the councillors might be elected from one ward. A ward member, however, would know all the local requirements of his ward. It was unfair for any City "Council to say whether tho ward system should be abolished or not. If there was to be any change the matter should be reviewed by tho people and put to their vote as ; a whole. There was already talk in Sydenham of seceding from tho city and forming their own Thorough again, and what the proposed deputation from Linwood and St. ' Albans ■should say to the Council was that if the Council abolished the ward system, Linwood and St. Albans would secede from the city. ? Tho other members of the deputation also spoke. . . ■ . . . The matter was then placed by the Chairman (Mr W.. H. Denton) before the meeting for discussion. One member considered that the abolition of the ward question was of creator importance than tho increased representation. : ,

Mr "Meares moved, and Mr Geddes. seconded: "That a deputation be formed from the Linwood Association to wait upon the City Council to urge the necessity ;of Linwood having a third representative on the Council, the deputation to combine in the, matter with the deputation from the St. . Albans Burgesses' Association." Mr W. II". Smith advised thorn to approach the Council on the abolition 6f the wards question, as well as on" the increased representation matter. Otherwise the. Council might" abolish the ward .system.when the deputation was waiting on it with regard to increased representation. /■

The motion, with the addition ;"thnt the deputntion protest^gainst;the.proposed abolition of wards,!' was carried unanimously.