Halswell Block’s Transfer Approved

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 24

Halswell Block’s Transfer Approved

Support for the City Council taking over the whole of the 145-acre Free block between Hendersons and Halswell roads, was agreed to by the Halswell County Council at a special meeting, provided the city assumes all costs of improving Hendersons road.

The land, half in the county and half in the city, has been the subject of negotiations for more than four years. The Housing Division of the Ministry of Works plans to start developing the whole block soon to provide 560 house sections. The clerk (Mrs R. Ballintine) read a letter from the City Council, which said that the council bad decided to take steps to amalgamate the county part of the block with the city, provided Halswell had no objection. But, the letter added, the city adhered to its previous decision to supply water to the whole of the block only in the event of amalgamation. The city could provide water very easily, whereas Halswell would have to raise a loan, thus raising the cost of the supply, said the chairman (Mr J. Y. Pethig). Cr. P. Wynn-Williams moved that Halswell support application by the city to the Local Government Commission for the transfer of the whole block to the city, provided the city, at its expense, agreed to improve Hendersons road by sealing it and providing footpaths and street lighting, which would become necessary as the block was developed for houses.

While the county’s part of the block could produce a lot of revenue, it would raise quite serious problems in the first four or five years, said Cr. Wynn-Williams. The time was long overdue for a review of Christchurch local body boundaries, and the transfer of all the Free block to the city would be a logical move, as part of it was already part of the city. Halswell, he said, must accept the fact that it would cost £14,000 to put water on to its part of the block. To improve Hendersons road and Halswell road would cost £25,000, less £lO,OOO in National Roads Board subsidy. Thus, the council would have to borrow £25,000. “This would be an unjustifiable extra call on an overloaded loan market, and would be asking our ratepayers to pay more for their amenities,” said Cr. WynnWilliams.

On Halswell’s present general rate, plus the estimated water rate, the average house would pay £22 12s 6d, whereas its city rates would be £l4 10s 6d. With that discrepancy, there would soon be pressure from Free block ratepayers to join the city, and Halswell’s efforts would have been wasted. Cr. H. J. A. Lynch said that the Free block proposal was part of a trend for the county tn lose areas by amalgamation. Since 1956, on land that had once been part of the county, 950 houses had been built.

The council badly needed more turn-over by way of rates, he said. Then the council could provide needed ser-

vices and amenities. The motion was appeasement, and reflected the council’s King Canute attitude. If the council gave service, people would not want to leave the county. Seconding the motion, Cr. R. H. L. Hamilton said the proposed amalgamation was desirable because it would tidy up the county boundary. “I’m certain if I lived down there, I would in due course be signing a petition to join the city,” said Cr. D. P. Graham. The motion was carried. Cr. Lynch being the only dissentient