Akaroa approves of amalgamation

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32775, 27 November 1971, Page 1

Akaroa approves of amalgamation

The Akaroa County Council yesterday decided, unanimously, that it agreed in principle with the Local Government Commission’s provisional plan to amalgamate the Akaroa, Wairewa, and Ellesmere counties and part of Paparua County.

The motion approving in principle the commission’s provisional scheme was proposed by Cr L. G. Eade and seconded by Cr T. J. Brocherie.

The chairman (Mr G. P. A de Latour) said that "the fly in the ointment might be getting the very desirable piece of Paparua in the proposed Banks Peninsula County.”

All councillors expressed the view that amalgamation would strengthen the counties involved.

“There is no suggestion that Akaroa County is in the red, but it is a small county —a bigger county would be more economic and would enable work to be done more quickly and more efficiently,” Mr de Latour said.

He said that for years the council had looked for strength through amalgama-

tion. “I looked towards Heathcote, but when I saw the commission’s draft scheme I agreed that the proposal was for a compact, rural county that did not infringe on a city area,” he said. The only difference between the draft and provisional schemes was the almost complete delition of the proposed Banks County. The ast council, Mr de Latour informed new members, had been unanimously in favour of amalgamation. Cr A. R. Waghorn said that the proposed boundary with the proposed greater City of Christchurch cut some properties in half and it also seemed that a little bit of Akaroa would be in greater Christchurch; but these were minor problems.

MT HERBERT COUNTY Cr A J. Boleyn asked why Mount Herbert County was going to be in the city. "Is there a reason for it? Is Mount Herbert to be a national park?” he asked. Mr de Latour said he understood that the Mount Herbert County Council it-

self had suggested that it go in with Christchurch City in discussions with the commission after the draft scheme had been made known.

“I think it will make amalgamation easier. Diamond Harbour people might have been up in arms at being separated from Lyttelton,” Mr de Latour said. "It will reduce the number of authorities round Lyttelton Harbour. “The Banks County will be a relatively compact oneall on this side of the ‘divide’ and all with a rural commun-

ity interest,” he said. Cr W. S. L. Mcßae: Amalgamation is inevitable. Cr Brocherie: It has to happen sooner or later; the sooner, the better. RATINGS AND RIDINGS

The meeting discussed ; briefly ratings and ridings : during a "settling-down period of perhaps five years” before rates.equalised. Mr de Latour said that seven or eight years ago when Akaroa had approached Wairewa on amalgamation, Wairewa had said Akaroa rates were too high. ■The Akaroa county rate was twice as high as Wairewa—today they are the same,” Mr de Latour said. Mr de Latour said that with one strong county, staff could be offered more secure jobs with higher pay. Highly qualified persons, like engineers and county clerks, deserved more pay, and more job opportunities, than smaller counties could give them. Akaroa County had difficulty in keeping resident engineers, who naturally, wished to move on up the ladder. The Banks County could offer more money and bigger jobs to tackle. Cr Eade said that good organisation in administration would be needed in the Banks County amongst the lower-ranked staff to prevent men “out in the limbo” waiting idly for instructions. Mr de Latour said the proposed Banks County would be only 70 miles long—some counties in Southland were! 220 miles long. “In 1876, Banks Peninsula was one county. The Gov-

eminent offered a £2500 subsidy to each local authority, and so the Peninsula was split into three authorities to get £7500.” Cr Waghorn: And have been trying to get back together ever since. Cr Eade said a strong, economic county could do bigger jobs without getting loan money for every little job. Mr de Latour instanced Akaroa’s "rolling programme of 10 miles of seal in live years.”