AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27402, 15 July 1954, Page 14

AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

ACTION BY WAIMAIRI CRITICISED COMMENT BY PAPARUA CHAIRMAN Suggestions that the Sockburn and Hornby ridings of the Paparua county should -be amalgamated with the Waimairi county have been made to the Sockburn and Hornby riding members of the Paparua County Council by members of the Waimairi County Council, according to statements made at a meeting this week of the Paparua council. The approaches made by the Waimairi council were condemned by the Panarua chairman (Mr W. F. McArthur), who said that sjmilar approaches made to Waimairi residents by Christchurch city interests had been the subject of bitter complaints by the Waimairi council. The “notable improvement” in the relations between the Waimairi council and its neighbours which had been brought about by the previous Waimairi chairman would not be maintained if Waimairi pursued such a

course, said Mr McArthur. He said he doubted whether the Sockburn residents would want to pay the much higher rates they would be charged in the Waimairi county. Mr McArthur was commenting on a report to the council of a meeting at which representatives of the Paparua, Springs, Halswell, and Wairewa County Councils considered the question of amalgamation. The report said that all the council’s represented agreed to consider the advisability of amalgamation. The decisions of each council will be sent to the Paparua County Clerk (Mr A. Kelly) for distribution, and a further meeting will be called if it is! considered desirable. full membership of each council will be invited to attend any further meeting. To give the Hornby Township Committee a chance to discuss the proposed amalgamation, the Paparua council deferred discussion on this report till its next meeting.