RICCARTON BOROUGH.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14406, 13 July 1912, Page 4

RICCARTON BOROUGH.

SECESSION FROM WAIMURI COUNTY.

COMMISSION HEARS EVIDENCE.

Tho Commission appointed to consider tho petition asking for the estab-lishir-ent of the Lower Riccarton borough met in tho Land Board room, Provincial Council Chambers, yesterday morning. Tho Commissioners were Messrs T. N. Brodrick and H. Murray. Mr F. W. Johnston appeared for tho petitioners, and Mr Geo. Harris for a number of objectors. Mr Harris asked the Commissioners to nnto that, if necessary, later on tho objectors might take objection to tho sitting on the ground that Mr Brodrick was not tho Commissioner for Crown Lands for tho Canterbury district, the Act stipulating that th<TCommissioner for Crown Lands for the Canterbury district must enquire and report. He would hold that tho Commissioner of Crown Lands for Canterbury had not enquired into and reported on tho matter. Mr J3rodriek said ho had enquired into and reported on tho matter when ho was Comnnssionei of Crown Lands for Canterbury. Mr Johnston said he took it that Mr Prodriek was still sitting under tho original warrant with an extension of tho same. Mr Brodrick said ho understood that was tho case. Mr Harris said ho did not wish to stop tho enquiry; h 0 merely wished'to reserve tho right he had stated. Mr Brodnck said they had got the petition, and more than 10 per cent, had signed it. Everything was right, and the Commission now proposed to tako evidence. Ho added that tho probability -was that unless some materially adverse evidence could be obtained in regard to the Park roads, tho Commission would report favourably. John Reynolds, chairman of "the Borough Committee, said thtey considered that after the proposal was carried and tho borough formed, the mnintenanco of the Park roads could be kept up by_ mutual agreement, or else a Commission could bo set up as provided by tho Act to allocate the cost of upkeep. There were two bodies contributing to the upkeep of these roads at present. Jf the borough were formed it would only mean three bodies instead of two. Mr Harris said tho position had not altered one iota from tho time the Commission made its last report. From the report of the last Commission, the question of . the upkeep of certain roads was -insurmountable. The first, and one of the main objections to the formation of tho borough, was that not very long before they were tinder the Riccarton Road Board and then under tho Waimairi Cjunty Council, which had managed their affairs very well. .Secondly, about £3000 was required for tho upkeep of the borough, p.nd a very heavy rate would be required to be' levied. Another point was that a lot of people were under the in pression that tho formation of a borough would give it the power to have the Addington saleyards removed, but the borough would have no more power to remove the saleyards than tho Waimairi county. >F. SissonJ a member of the Waimairi County Council and representing the rural portion of the Waimairi county, said that unless the proposers oj the scheme could convince him that tho county would have no financial responsibility in the upkeep of the Park roads, he would have to object to the formation of the borough. 'S. A. Staples, chairman of the Waimairi County Council said tho Council as a body was not in favour of cutting up tho county into small local bodie3. The tendency of the day was "to amalgamate small bodies, in order to save administrative expenses. For many years the Park roads were maintained by the Selwyn, f County ..Council and the Riccarton Road Board, and it was only of recent years that the City Council had assisted. Ho considered the proper position was to includo the Park in the borough area, and then set up a Commission to allocate the cost of the expense. J. Sharp, engineer to tho Waimairi County Council, said the Park was included in the Waimairi County. Mawson Stewart quoted other boroughs with capital values about the samo as. Hiccarton. Mr Harris said that in stating £3000 for the upkeep of tho borough a rate of 3d in the £ would be necessary, and that was the highest rate that could be levied. Mr Stewart said he did not consider £3000 would be required- In regard to Mr Staples's point the new borough would not have the slightest trouble in administering affairs better than tho Waimairi Council. The bad administration of the district by. the Waimairi County Council had largely led to the agitation for tho formation of a borough. Mr Harris said the objectors were quite prepared to go to a poll. Mr Stewart, continuing, said he was almost sure the Park was not included in the Waimairi County, boundaries. Mr Reynolds said the formation of the borough was greatly desjred by the vast majority of ratepayers. Mr Johnston, in reply to Mr Sisson's objection with regard to the upkeep ..of roads, said that any Commission would see that a; fair allocation of the cost was made. It was stated that tho plan of tho proposed borough did not include the Park, and tho question was asked, to whom would the Park belong? Mr Johnston voiced it as his opinion that the time was coming when the whole of tho Park would be vested in tho City Council. Mr. Harris said he took it that the Commission was sitting to determine tho boundaries of the borough, in which Mr Brodrick concurred. W. Dalley said that fully 75 per cent, of tho ratepayers in his riding were in. favour of the formation of the borough. All that was asked was a poll to let the ratepayers decide on the matter. Ho instanced the benefits Spreydon had received through its being formed into a boroughMr Brodrick said the Commission would make its report in due course, with as little delay as possible.