LABOUR SEEKING MERGER OF AD HOC BODIES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 9

LABOUR SEEKING MERGER OF AD HOC BODIES

The amalgamation of the Christchurch Drainage and Transport Boards with the City Council is favoured by the Labour Party in its election policy for the ad hoc bodies. Alternatively, the party proposes the creation of a metropolitan board of works.

.The party’s policy for the elections, which will be hqjd on Saturday, was announced by the chairman of the Christchurch Labour Representation Committee (Mr R. Jones). "Labour will extend existing services where necessary and plan for future development,” the policy for the Transport Board said. “Labour win endeavour to maintain the low fare structure which has been enjoyed by users over the last three years—the lowest in New Zealand.”

The party would continue to keep administration costs

at the lowest possible level, and continue the policy it had introduced of giving the fullest publicity to the board’s business. It would also continue its policy of giving the full public of making representations, the statement said. .

The party would press for more intensive building in sewered areas and plan, “with all possible speed” the reticulation of unsewered areas, the statement on Drainage Board policy said. It supported the sewage purification and disposal scheme. Labour favoured the loading on new development of costs of sewer laterals to the fence line and also that laterals be laid ahead of road reconstruction.

It would press for loan finance from Government sources at 3 per cent interest for sewer reticulation; and endeavour to make improvements to the Estuary.