Amalgamation

Press, 2 June 1989, Page 8

Amalgamation

Sir, —When “experts” disagree it is time for the average citizen to take cover and, when it concerns his money, sit on his pocket book. The recent exchanges between the past and present chairmen of Mount Herbert County on the future level of rating in that area of the proposed Banks Peninsula Authority give cause for alarm. This is particularly so when the potential high level of rating was one of the arguments put forward when the county opposed amalgamation with the greater Christchurch City. The Orwellian theory of the equality of animals — and some being more equal than others — comes into mind when one considers the differential rating proposed by Messrs Collins and May. Would the residents of Mount Herbert be happy with a lesser status in the peninsula than those of the other areas? — Yours, etc., K. G. TALBOT. May 29, 1989.

Sir,—l share Stuart Murray’s concern (May 26) regarding the effects the proposed Banks Peninsula District will have on the rates of both Mount Herbert and Wairewa ratepayers. While Councillors May and Collins assure the public that rates will fall where the costs are incurred, I am not as confident that the rating legislation will provide this opportunity where a population is less than 20,000 as is the case for Banks Peninsula District (7004). The Local Government Commission and the Minister of Local Government have had different positions on this subject and local authorities have yet to sight the legislative provisions for local government reform. Legislation which is handled with urgency, as is the case with the Local Government Amendment Bill, is likely to have some glaring omissions and, if recent performance is an indication, then the rural people will again be the losers. —Yours, etc., W. J. THOMPSON, Chairman, Wairewa County Council.