More M.P.-council meetings urged

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32568, 30 March 1971, Page 1

More M.P.-council meetings urged

The meeting between local members of Parliament and city councillors on Friday evening could discuss several matters of community interest to metropolitan Christchurch, said the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr A, R. Guthrey) yesterday.

“I am hopeful that it will be the forerunner of other meetings between

councillors and local members on community projects and problems affecting the metropolitan area where the members of Parliament may be of great assistance,” Mr Guthrey said. The local members of Parliament have been invited by the City Council to the meeting to discuss, specifically, solatium payments to pro-

perty owners whose land is, or will be, required for motorways or other projects to benefit the metropolitan area. Strong criticism The Invitation was issued by the council after strong criticism by the Leader of the Opposition and member for Sydenham (Mr Kirk) of the council’s methods of payment of the solatium.

Cr E. B. E. Taylor, in particular, disagreed with Mr Kiric’s criticism at the City Council meeting earlier this

month, and said that relations between local members of Parliament and the council could be a lot better.

The meeting will discuss in general the legislation governing payments for land taken by the council for community use, and the problems and difficulties encountered in making solatium payments under the existing legislation. Other problems “I hope that the meeting can be expanded to discuss other community problems, so that the local members can be given information by councillors,” Mr Guthrey said.

An exchange of views and information on the Christchurch City (Reserves) Empowering Bill could well be profitable, the Mayor said. The question had been thoroughly discussed in Christchurch over many years, and the great majority of ratepayers were behind the bill. Unfortunately, the attitude of local members of Parliament towards the bill was developing along party lines, he said.