AMALGAMATION WITH CITY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23737, 8 September 1942, Page 4

AMALGAMATION WITH CITY

Consideration By Four Areas PROBLEMS AT MOUNT PLEASANT “There are at least four areas considering whether they, too, wpuld not be wise in coming into the city,” announced Cr. M. E. Lyons at the meeting of the Christchurch City Council last evening when referring to the recent decision of a commission that part of the Mount Pleasant riding of Heathcote County should be included in the city. Cr. Lyons said he was sure councillors would have read with a good deal of pleasure of the commission’s decision, It was the largest movement of people on the boundaries of the city for some time. The results were not what the petitioners asked for, but practically the whole of the residential area of Mount Pleasant was to be included in the city. There were some problems attaching to the change. The water and electricity services would be taken over by the city, which had some duty to provide a supply beyond the new boundary to consumers now being supplied by the Heathcote County Council. Cr. Lyons said he had not discussed these problems with other members of the council: but this seemed to him to be a logical way of approaching them. He was pleased that the commissioners had tied the matter down to the wording of the act, which cast on them the duty of determining whether the area whs fit for municipal control. “Probably in future cases this judgment will be most helpful,” added Cr. Lyons. Later the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) said the chairman of the Heathcote County Council had discussed the problem of the Mount Pleasant water supply with the works committee. The main reservoir would now be in the city; but the two auxiliary reservoirs were in the county. Furthermore, for reasons which the Mayor could not divulge there would have to be augmentation of the supply. The area did not com,' into the city until April, but this work would have to go on and the City Council would have to take its share of the responsibility. The City Engineer had been asked to report on the whole project. “It does not appear so rosy as we thought," remarked Cr. G. Manning. Cr. Lyons: There is no rose without a thorn. (Laughter.)