AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25923, 1 October 1949, Page 2

AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

Districts North Of Christchurch OPPOSITION IN MOST CASES All but one of the five county councils between the Waimakariri and Waipara rivers—Eyre, Rangiora, Ashley, Oxford, and Kowai — opposed amalgamation, according to evidence before the Local Government Commission yesterday, when the hearing of evidence in the commission’s second Christchurch sitting was concluded. All the coi ucils except one favoured the amalgamation of all five counties if any scheme of amalgamation was decided on. The Waimakariri-Ashley Water Supply Board and the Leeston and Southbridge Town Boards considered their identities should be preserved. The five counties had decided that each one should put forward a case for retaining the status quo, said Mr C. G. Penlington, opening the case for the Eyre County. Eyre would prefer to be amalgamated with the Oxford and Rangiora Counties if amalgamation was decided on. The Eyre County comprised 175 square miles and had a population of about 1800 persons, said the engineerclerk to the council, Mr Geoffrey lan Franklyn Treleaven. To Mr J. S. Clendon, counsel assisting the commission, he said he did not consider the area covered by the five counties toelarge for one engineering and administrative unit. The council’s view, said the chairman of the council. Mr John Erua Horrell, was that the five counties were too large to be combined into one; his personal view was that they were not. His council had opposed amalgamation because it. was able to administer the county efficiently and economically. The Eyre County would gain nothing by amalgamation wH’n Oxford and Rangiora, but the otner five counties would gain by a share of Mr Treleaven’s engineering services. Rangiora’s Attitude The Rangiora County Council would prefer its boundaries to remain «s al present but, if amalgamation was contemplated, it supported the amalgamation of the five counties between the Waimakariri and Waipara rivers, said M • John Roper Keeper, a member of the council. “We think that it would only be by having a rateable area comprising the five counties that it would be practicable, for instance, to employ a full-time engineer, and purchase the equipment that would be necessary for all reading work in tne district,” said Mr Keeper. The affairs of the Ashley County were efficiently conducted by the present council, said the chairman, Mr Alexander Alfred Mackintosh, who opposed amalgamation. He admitted that amalgamation might lead to savings in administrative and works costs. Asked whether the services of a fulltime engineer might not be an advantage, Tlr Mackintosh said he did not consider an engineer necessary in the area. Mr Clendon: Would you agree that work done by contractors costs up to 30 per cent, more? Mr Mackintosh: I do not know about that. The chairman of the commission (Mr I. J. Goldstine): That might be an instance where an engineer would be of value. If amalgamation was to take place his council would prefer the five counties to become one, said Mr Mackintosh. Because of its position the Oxford County had developed in its residents a measure of independent civic interest. said the chairman of the Oxford Council, Mr William Murray Dailey. The county was bounded on three sides by natural boundaries and *here was practically no through traffic, he said. His council favoured the five counties being amalgamated, rather than three, although'the council was against amalgamation. “My council lias considered —tfa«a quesffioii oi amalgamation and is unanimously of the opinion that the area from the Waimakariri to the Waipara rivers comprising the Kowai, Ashlev Rangiora, Eyre, and Oxford Counties should be the least of any amalgamation proposals.” said the chairman the Kowai Council. Mr George Alexander McLean. “This area would have natural boundaries, thus • series of artificial dividing lines AV dranage problems would be c-n p ”m r ; to the one area, the boundaries b-in' the Waimakariri river in the south tne Waioara river in the north, tl sea coast in the east, and moun*’'iin ranges in the west. The town" o» Fangmra is s ituated near the centre of wWh t e h» a fi haS 3 interest wun tne five counties mentioned ” Water Supply and Town Dfstrirts The Waimakariri-Ashley Water Simply Board considered that no advantage was to be gained by any form of amalgamation, and that V a more sati=factory service could be given to c.f sumers lf the water supply system was administered by a separate body Ev.denee to this effect was given oy wiu c g ilrman of the board, Mr Frank Albert Sheat. “To merae this board !!? to any of the surrounding local authorities. none of whom has similar interests, would mean that the supplying of water for stock purposes would, m all probability, be con«idered of minor importance in their affairs, and the service would suffer accordingly.”

The growth of the town over the last few years has been such as to warrant the view that Leeston will nave reached borough status within the next 10 years. Any move which would tend to arrest this forward and progressive movement would not be in the best interests of either the town or the county,” said the chairman of the Leeston Town Board. Mr Valmond George Mason. The board opposed any suggestion that its functions be taken over bv the Ellesmere County Council, and had been assured that the council did not want to do so. The workings of the board were described by the clerk to the board. Mr Harold Queree. In reply to Mr Clendon. he said he did riot think any county council which took over the control of the town would concern itself so closely with the dust nuisance in the town.

Single control of the town bv a county was urged by Mr William Baylev Bray, a ratepayer, of Leeston An inner area would benefit in more works, such as metalling and grading of roads and installing channels and footpaths,- being done at less work, said Mr Bray. “There appears to be a general feeling that, while a high pressure water and sewerage system is highly desirable, it is beyond the financial means of the town district in its present set-up. and that under county administration there should be better prospects of bringing the town amenities into line with those of towns of comparable size.” he added. In answer to a question, Mr B”ny said he understood that the institution of a sewerage system was one of the objects of the board when it was formed. “The board has been going for 27 years, and we still have not got it.” he said. Evidence supporting that of the board was given by Mr Francis Tovmshend. on behalf of the Ellesmere Businessmen’s Association. There was a stronger argument for the retention of a town board than for a small rnuntv council, said the clerk to the Southbridpe Town Board. Mr Leicester George Eave. “The ordinary maintenance of a town board doe*? not denend so much on possessing mechanised equipment, but unon an intimate knowledge of the detailed requirements of the locality, which are more readily known to the resident members of a town board,” he said.