LYTTELTON AND BAYS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25810, 23 May 1949, Page 3

LYTTELTON AND BAYS

AMALGAMATION NOT FAVOURED COMMISSION’S REPORT No case had been made for the incorporation of the Rapaki, Governor’s Bay, Church Bay and Charteris Bay areas in the Borough of Lyttelton, said the report of the Local Government Commission on claims by the Lyttelton Borough Council for #ie incorporation of these areas. After tracing the historical development of Lyttelton and Diamorkl Harbour, the report summarised the questions at issue as follows: — Was there a demand in excess of the available supply for sections in Lyttelton Borough, either for residential or other urban purposes, such as industry? Was there a “spill-over” of urban population into adjacent county areas? What was the potential development of the area? “ Although it is admitted that as far as is practicable Lyttelton borough is almost wholly built up residentially at the present time, there is little evidence of any major expansion either actual or potential,” said the Commission’s report. No major construction works by the Housing Division were proposed for Lyttelton, but the State was concentrating on housing development in Christchurch to satisfy the joint demands of Christchurch and Lyttelton. The development of Diamond Harbour was in a preponderating degree that of a seaside suburb for the Christchurch Metropolitan area, and there was no evidence that any but a mere handful of people living in Diamond Harbour found their occupation in Lyttelton borough. “We do not consider, therefore, that the Lyttelton Borough Council’s proposals, based on the ground of necessity for additional territory to accommodate potential demands, has been substantiated." Dealing in turn with each of the areas which it had been suggested might be incorporated -in the borough, the report stated that there was nc ■evidence' of a “spill-over” from the borough. The unformed road round the foreshore at Diamond Harbour was in the Mount Herbert County, and the Diamond Harbour area which formed part of the Lyttelton Borough dtd not abut the foreshore. “The County Council, quite rightly we believe, agreed that this road line should be incorporated in the borough of Lyttelton. We therefore find that the road line running round the foreshore of Diamond Harbour should be incorporated in the Borough of Lyttelton.”