Ratepayers’ Wishes On Town Hall Assistance

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30810, 23 July 1965, Page 12

Ratepayers’ Wishes On Town Hall Assistance

Had the council not overlooked the wishes of its ratepayers in deciding to pay £1475 a year for 35 years towards the cost of the Christchurch town hall? asked Cr. W. B. Laing at last night’s meeting of the Heathcote County Council. The chairman (Mr C. D. Le Comte) said it was true that the council had sent out a questionnaire, asking ratepayers for their views. Unfortunately, the council had been supplied with the wrong figures. Though the ’’poll” had been lost many ratepayers were agreeable for the council to contribute, even if it meant an extra rate.

The council's pajment of £1475 a year would be met without a rate increase, said Mr Le Comte. He thought all councillors believed the council should contribute in one way or another. Cr. E. L. Tyndall said there was nothing binding in the questionnaire which had been only to test the feeling of the people. To his mind, the answers had been overwhelmingly in favour of some contribution.

Concession. — In deciding to grant the lower domestic rate rather than the commercial rate for power to the Cashmere Bowling Club and the Heathcote Valley scout den the council agreed to extend the concession to all other sports and philanthropic groups.

Port Hills Road.—Negotiations to get land for deviating and realigning Port Hills road were authorised, and a Regional Planning Authority scheme to improve the intersection of Port Hills and Bridle Path roads was approved. The council accepted a tender of £1176 for improving the Port Hills-Chapman's roads interchange. Dyers Pass.—The County Engineer (Mr J. McF. Hamil-

[ton) was asked to prepare a plan for a new lay-out at the Dyers Pass road-Macmillan avenue junction, with a 32ft carriageway in the meantime on Dyers Pass road and with ultimate widening on the west side. Cr. C. M. A. Thompson said he would like to see comparative figures for widening to the east. The council should not encroach on the reserve on the west side of the road. Link Road.—Cr. L. L. Smith said he had discussed the proposed Heathcote link with the Tunnel road with the District Commissioner of Works (Mr C. B. Dallas). The job went hand in hand with the Port Hills road widening, he said. Cr. Smith was authorised to have further discussions.

Late Plans.—People arrived on the council’s doorstep with scheme plans of subdivisions and expected them to be dealt with that night by the town planning committee, said Cr. M. J. W. Davis, speaking to a council decision that plans must be in by the end of each month to go before the next meeting of the committee. Cr. Davis said that the Waimairi County Council had made a similar decision. The council decided to get a legal opinion on the validity of its decision that owners of land, rather than surveyors, sign scheme plans. Surveyors have ob jeeted to the decision, and say they will not abide by it.

Declined.—The council decided to tell the Hillsborough Residents’ Society that the council could not spend any money on the Hillsborough domain because it was spending a large amount of land subdivision money on the Curries road community centre, which would take most of what was available this year.

Fluoridation.—The works committee was asked to consider the proposed fluoridation of the county water supply in conjunction with the Lyttelton scheme.