IMPROVEMENTS AT LYTTELTON

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27374, 12 June 1954, Page 8

IMPROVEMENTS AT LYTTELTON

EFFECT ON COUNTY OF ASHBURTON

OPPOSITION TO EXTENT OF PROPOSAL

Lyttelton’s present volume of business did not warrant the expenditure of £3,500.000 on port improvements said Mr P. J. Mowat, representative of the Ashburton county and of Tinwald on the Lyttelton Harbour Board when, with the Mayor of Ashburton (Mr E. C. Bathurst), he addressed a meeting of the Ashburton Ratepayers’ and Citizens’ Association on Thursday evening.

The board had responsibility for a project which might have “far-reach-ing and even embarrassing effects on the Ashburton County, from the Rakaia to the Rangitata rivers; from the hills to the sea.” He was not opposed to the tunnel road scheme or to the port improvements,. as many thought, he thought simply that it was an inopportune time to “embark on such an extensive proposal.” “We have to levy a rate to continue works at Lyttelton which include the expenditure of £350,000 on No. 7 wharf and £600,000 on a new dredge which will be needed within a year or two,” said Mr Mowat. “Another £250.000 is to be spent on the elevated roadway, and £70,000 is the figure estimated for improvements and extensions to the oil wharf, a much-needed improvement,” he said. “The question is, how are we going to sustain the tremendous expenditure envisaged, especially the proposed extensions? It is impossible to finance the scheme on present revenue, and it means levying a rate of in the £, which, it is said, will fully cover the proposals.” The area it was proposed to rate extended from the Conway river to the Rangitata river.

Property owners concerned would be given the chance to vote, but figures showed that the Ashburton area would be rated disproportionately, said. Mr Mowat. The outlying areas would not benefit “to any great extent,” for while there were 71 per cent, of the ratepayers in Christchurch, leaving 29 per cent, outside that area, only 55 per cent, of the rateable capital value was owned there. In the Ashburton borough, for example, £9826 would have to be paid annually by ratepayers—about £3 10s per head on the average and an increase of about 20 per cent. The 2700 ratepayers in the county would have to pay £16,858 or £6 5s a ratepayer (a 14 per cent, increase). The over-all increase for the district would be £4 10s. Oil Wharf Extensions The fuel oil extensions were justified in view of the increased tonnage handled: of the 921,224 tons handled in 1952 at the port. 234,256 tons were fuel oik said Mr Mowat. There was no serious hold-up at Lyttelton, so why should millions of pounds be -spent, resulting in a rate to pay for the improvements, he asked. The apathy of ratepayers at polls in the past had resulted in important questions slipping through, with the town getting the advantage over the country. It was almost sure that the proposal would be carried at the next board meeting, said Mr Mowat, and the ratepayers would then have the opportunity to go to the polls. Mr E. C. Bathurst said, before any rate was struck, it would have to be put to the local bodies and the people. The trade of the port would definitely increase with the improvements effected; the No. 7 wharf, for example, when reconstructed would give large vessels the chance to move around as easily as they did at Gladstone wharf. If accommodation was made available the* larger vessels would come to Lyttelton. “A building is put up and the shelves stocked before increased business comes.” said Mr Bathurst. “The port of Lyttelton is in the same category. The Bluff harbour scheme is for £5,000.000, so why is the £3,500.000 expenditure planned for Lyttelton large?,” he asked. Manufactured lines would increase and be available for export when Roxburgh came into use, and irrigation would also cause increased production, said Mr Bathurst. He felt optimistic about the scheme, and said he thought the business warranted the expenditure. Mr E. J. Bingham, chairman of the meeting, said population growth should also be considered. The scheme was worthy of national consideration, and the country as a whole should have a say, and possibly a hand in its finance.