AMALGAMATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 284, 11 December 1901, Page 2

AMALGAMATION.

DISCUSSION- bv BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ai the meeting of the Borough Council . , night the Town Clerk mentioned that i the boundaries of the proposed extension j °* p^. oron oh had been <: otted. I Cr Bright said he could ,c understand \ \\ h\ the Kaiti Boat! B i should object aftei approving of it.* Cr Jones :It would to.' the Borough to object—they will ne I ,sers. The Mayor sat,; Mat the Borough eoukl not properix maintain tire present 16 utiles of roads the question would arise ho\\ they could maintain the additional 16 utiles. They had for a good many years been trying to build up a revenue outside of the rates. Cr Bright : It is mostly in the Bank 1 pass book. The Mayor said yes, and on properties as welt, same purchased and others ob- 1 tained as grants. His Worship then went on to show that j the rates were materially assisted by miscellaneous revenue, such as license fees and rents, which last year had amounted j to X'lns.g while the rates were JC2650. By ' amalgamation the suburbs would be en- . titled to share in that revenue, and thus I there would be so much less to spend in j Ike borough. The revenue they had now j was insufficient to do the work required, j Cr Whinray said that where the incongruity came in was that these people went j over the river and left those in town to i bear the brunt of the battle, and now they i wanted to be included in the borough. Cr Lysnar said that one of the reasons ! of joining was to get the revenue eon- ! served, instead of the County Council collecting so much which was not spent on j the main road as it should be. The terms ; of amalgamation approved of showed that ! none of the borough’s legitimate revenue would be taken from it. Amalgamation would benefit the suburbs and would not injure the borough—it would do good to all, and there was no need to be uneasy as to the financial result, which might : well be left to take its course. If the opponents liked to fight the thing before a Commission they could do so. Cr Jones said thoy were there simply as : trustees for the ratepayers, and must look at the position from a borough standpoint. The road districts had everything to gain I and nothing to lose | Cr Lysnar : The same as the borough.

Cr Jones admitted that that was the case as far as the centre of the town was concerned ; it had had its needs supplied, but what about the outlying portions which had year after year been put off with promises that their turn to have necessary work done would como ? Were thej 7 likely to bo properly served by the borough increasing its responsibilities before it was ablo to do what was needed in

the present area’? Another question was that of water and drainage ; the scheme would bo endangered by the road districts. As to liabilities, they did not know what that would be. The experience of Kaiti Road Board in regard to Titirangi should be a warning to them in that respect. No

doubt the county would have charges to make.

A point of order was raised by Cr Bright. To put the subject in order the Mayor moved, and Cr Jones seconded, that the subject be considered. Continuing, Cr Jones said that his main property interests were on tho Whataupoko, but as a Councillor he must regard the subject from a borough standpoint. There would be more to pay for the bridges out of ordinary revenue, also charitable aid. The borough would not have much to gain by extending while, there were still so many roads unformed and so many dark places not yet lighted up. He moved that the Council object on behalf of the ratepayers. That would reserve their rights. The Mayor seconded the motion, saying it was only right they should havo an opportunity to consider the position. Many ratepayers did not yet understand it. Tho increased revenue would not bo sufficient to enablo them to meet tho calls that would bo made on them.

Cr Hepburn said that if they could not keep 16 miles of roads in order thoy were not likely to do bettor with 29 miles, and it would bo against the interests of tho borough to take in tho suburbs. They could not spare revenue when they had streets, such as Aberdeen road, not even formed yet —people thore had been paying rates for years and not yet got a penny in return.

Cr Lysnar said it was a misconception to suppose that any of the borough’s revenue would bo taken ; the proportion would be the net amount received after a fair allowance had been made for expenses. After quotations from the Act by the .Mayor and Cr Lysnar, the latter said that they should have definito objections and not more bald statements.

In reply to Cr Jones, Cr Lysnar claimed that the County Council would not pay less towards the bridges. Ho admitted that the Council now stopped the money from the road district rates, but he hold that such a charge should not have boon made to one district. If there was objection made there should bo some good grounds shown,. He moved that the Council do not take any active steps in the matter.

Cr Mason : No objection has been raised before.

Cr Jones : We never had a chance, Cr Lysnar : The committee brought it up time after time. Cr Jones said that the committee appointed to report to the conference had never done so,

This statement was challenged by Crs Lysnar and Bright, but was adhered to by Cr Jones.

Cr Bright said the resolution was like the second act of a farce. The three local bodies affected had had the matter under consideration, and what were considered to be fair and reasonable terms were agroed to. Then after all bad been settled the Haiti Hoad Board raised objection, this Council was now asked to uo the same, and Whataupoko Road Board would perhaps do likewise. Cr Lysnar : They certainly will not. Cr Bright said then they were sensible. One of the main arguments for amalgamation had been used at a large meeting in that room, when the necessity for an extended health district was shown.

Cr Kennedy said he had no wish to put any obstacle in the way of amalgamation, but he felt so strongly on the subject of a water supply and drainage scheme that he would not like to see that affected.

; There was a controversy as to what ; would be the effect of allowing the fixing j of the boundaries to go unchallenged, Cr j Lysnar arguing that it would not affect the Council's right to go into the subject ! of terms, while Cr Jones said it would J mean that the Council gave its tacit coni sent and it would have to make terms at ! the point of the bayonet, or the Governor | would do it for them. Cr Miller said that as the lawyers on the Council disagreed, i he would like to hear what the Council's solicitor said. Cr Whinray said they should look at the thing in a magnanimous way, and for that reason he favored amalgamation. The amendment was lost by one vote, and after further discussion an amendment by Cr Bright, seconded by Cr Miller, was carried, to the effect that the Council agrees to amalgamation, but that a committee consisting of the Mayor and Crs Lysnar, Kennedy, Jones, Bright, and Miller confer with the Borough Solicitor as to the terms. Crs Jones and Hepburn j dissented. !