TOWN PLANNING AUTHORITY

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27962, 8 May 1956, Page 6

TOWN PLANNING AUTHORITY

MEMBERSHIP AND CHAIRMAN

REPORT BY MR W. S. MACGIBBON

Membership of the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority, on which the City Council has four representatives. was raised last evening at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Citizens’ and Ratepayers’ Association by Mr G. D. Griffiths. The association held close on half the seats on the council, yet all the council’s representatives on the authority were members of the Labour Party, Mr Griffiths said. The authority was responsible for the future planning of Christchurch, and the association should strive to have an active part, for it was a body dedicated to the good of the city.

Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon, a former chairman of the authority, said he had been told by the council that if he did not resign he would be removed from membership. He was then removed publicly, and Mr C. Baldwin selected and elected chairman. “Then Mr Baldwin did not please some of his confederates and he was removed,” Mr Mac Gibbon said. Although the Labour councillors had earlier said it was essential that the chairman of the council’s town-planning committee should be chairman of the authority, Mr J. E. Tait, a Citizens’ councillor, was the next chairman.

Through Mr Tait’s death there was a vacancy, which had been offered to Mr W. P. Glue, but he had declined, Mr Mac Gibbon said. “The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane. M.P.) then offered it to me.” he continued. “I said J would like it deferred to consider it. At the next meeting of the council, at the tail-end of the meeting, the Mayor moved that Cr. L. Christie should be the representative. I don’t think anyone realised it had gone through.” [Since the death of Mr Tait, the authority has not held a meeting to elect a chairman.]