AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27874, 24 January 1956, Page 9

AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

MR STALKER REPLIES TO MR MACKENZIE ‘‘The Springs County Council is not interested in amalgamation with the larger areas of Sockburn and Hornby of the Paparua County Council, said the chairman of the Springs County Council (Mr E. J. Stalker) in reply to a statement by the chairmV 16 ! Baisweil County Council (Mr J. Mackenzie) on the amalgamation of counties. “Tlie council is of opinion that the .y. 1S n 9 t ar distant when these areas will be included in Christchurch city,” said Mr Stalker. “It should not be forgotten .that the Local Government Commission in 1949 brought down a recommendation to amalgamate such areas within the city. Since that time many areas in urban counties have joined the city through a petition of the ratepayers concerned: the most recent being a large part of the Halswell county. “The view held by the Springs County Council is that it has a great deal in common with the rural areas of Paparua and Halswell, and that through their combined financial strength, they would be better equipped to tackle the rural problems of roading, drainage and water-race control as well as the needs of small townships in the area. “We believe that these views are shared by several members of the Paparua and Halswell counties as well as a large body of the ratepayers concerned. I hope to be given the opportunity to discuss these matters further, not only with Mr Mackenzie, but also with his ratepayers,” concluded Mr Stalker.