GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12996, 11 December 1902, Page 5

GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

TO THE EDITOE. Sir, —I sec in your report that during the discussion in tho St Albans Borough Council it was stated that the borough was practically asked to amalgamate with, and bear the burden of, a city heavily in debt. "It is only by varied reiteration that foreign matter is conveyed to the recalcitrant mind,"and I have, good hopes, if you continue to affordi me space, that I may ultimately convince our Mends that we are not the common robbers their'fancy paints us I ■ . Tho suggestion apparently is that the city, having borrowed large sums and spent them in bridges and other improvements within its borders, is now issuing a. cordial invitation to tho -boroughs to join it in paying the piper ! The point has been dealt "with at every conference that has taken, place on the subject —and thei-e' have been several of them. You have frequently referred to it in your leading and correspondence columns, and in the leaflet I issued on Saturday I tried) to make it clear that all loan money would remain a liability on the district which raised it, so that" the suburbs would not be called' on to find one penny towards the interest or principal of tho city debts. _ " Perhaps an "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1800," may be helpful:— 183. Upon the constitution of a new borough, or any alteration of the boundaries of a borough, the several local authorities affected may, by agreements executed under the common seals of their respective Corporations, make such an adjustment of property, liabilities, contracts, and engagements between the new 'borough and the county or other district out pi which its area lias been taken, or between the districts affected by such alteration of boundaries, as such local authorities shall think fit, and everv. such agreement shall be enforceable, accordingly ; but in-'default of any such agreement being come to in the prescribed time and -manner, it shall be lawful for- the Governor to make the adjustment in the prescribed manner and form. ' ...

183- (1) No action taken under this Division of the. Act shall affect any separate or special rate, and every sifch rate shall continue to be' charged upon the whole of the area upon which it was charged before such action was taken, and shall'not by reason thereof become a charge upon any additional area; and the ar-ea within which any unexpended loan-moneys, may be expended f J hall not b'e affected by the taking of such action. It was certainly never intended that the suburban boroughs should incur any liability in respect of the city loans. —I am, C ° ''' HENRY F. WIGRAM, Mayor. Major's Office. Christchurch, " Dec. 9, 1902.