Board Approves Regional Bill

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30688, 2 March 1965, Page 1

Board Approves Regional Bill

In spite of strong Labour opposition, the Christchurch Transport Board yesterday approved by five votes to four the draft bill on the proposed Christchurch regional authority.

The board's approval was given after Mr H. Denton had accused the chairman (Mr J. R. Smith) of chicanery in his handling of the debate. “And I have no intention of withdrawing that remark—it was outright chicanery,” said Mr Denton. "I have never experienced anything like it in all my years of local body work.”

Mr Smith said he regretted Mr Denton’s “pretty poor” accusations. Form Of Discussion

When Mr Smith called for discussion around the table, beginning with the Labour members, Mr Denton objected, and called for an “across-the-table” debate. Mr Smith said he was following his usual custom, but Mr Denton argued that all opposition would thus be heard first. The chairman then invited Mrs R. M. Macfarlane to speak. “I am on my feet and I’m going to have my say now,” said Mr Denton, pounding the

table. For the next 15 minutes, he outlined his main objections to the proposed authority. Effect On Rates Mr Denton said he had read with alarm that the Auckland Transport Board had experienced a big deficit under the new Auckland authority. If tb bill was introduced, he would estimate that rates would be increased by as much as 33 l-3rd per cent. “If this bill gets as far as the House, then we on this side of the table will go to Wellington and oppose it on the ground that it is uneconomical, unnecessary, and unwarranted,” he said.

Mr R. Jones said that one reason for Labour’s opposition to the bill was that it considered the investigating committee had exceeded its res-

ponsibility in bringing down a draft bill when it was instructed to find a remedy to reduce costs. The committee was made up mainly of members of the outside local authorities. If they were so sincere, they would see that amalgamation was inevitable. The position in Christchurch was ludicrous. The city extended on one side of Cathedral square for eight miles, but on the other it extended only one mile before running into another territorial area. “The Waimairi County Clerk tells us that rates would go up. Of course they will—to pay for the amenities which those residents are now using and paying nothing for,” said Mr Jones. “It’s time they took a look further than their own little dung heaps,” he said.

Mr R. Stillwell said the board should follow the sensible lead given by the City Council and the Drainage Board. If a referendum was held, the whole proposal would be turned down, he said.

Mr E. J. Bradshaw, who was chairman of the investigating commitee, said he was disappointed that members of the local body (the Transport Board) which originally mooted the two-tier system were so short-sighted. It would be the height of inconsistency for the board not to approve the bill, he said. Members who voted for the bill were Messrs Smith, Bradshaw, S. E. Boanas, R. G. Brown and P. D. Dunbar. Those who voted against it were Mrs Macfarlane and Messrs Jones, Denton and Stillwell.