Lyttelton Views On Amalgamation

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31922, 25 February 1969, Page 18

Lyttelton Views On Amalgamation

Lyttelton was interested only in a possible amalgamation with Mount Herbert County. It was not interested in any wider merger of Banks Peninsula counties, said the Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr J. B. Collett) last evening.

Commenting, at a borough council meeting, on a letter from the Mount Herbert County Council, asking for clarification of Lyttelton’s views, Mr Collett said they had been reiterated time and aga'n.

He (aid he wanted to dispel any suggestion taken from the Mount Herbert letter (reported in "The Press” on Saturday) that Lyttelton was “dragging the chain.” “At several meetings we have intimated that we are willing to discuss anything progressive," said Mr Collett. “We have no desire that Lyttelton should become a

county town, and only wish to talk positively about amalgamation with Mount Herbert “It would be no advantage to us to be a county town, or to amalgamate for amalgamation’s sake. If amalgamation

was for progress, we would be keen to look at it, but we seem to have run up against a brick wall in anything progressive.” Cr R. H. Duff said talks between the two councils had a long history, and Lyttelton had also taken part in talks with the Akaroa, Wairewa, Heathcote, Halswell and Paparua county councils. Lyttelton felt that if there was amalgamation, a logical one would be between Lyttelton and Mount Herbert, though Lyttelton had never felt it wanted to take over Mount Herbert. Lyttelton had told this to the Local Government Commission in 1961. Cr E. A. Camfield said that people at Church Bay and Rapaki had shown Interest in joining Lyttelton. It was agreed to tell Mount Herbert that Lyttelton would be happy to resume talks with Mount Herbert at any time, and the finance committee was authorised to take any necessary action.