EXTENDING THE CITY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17288, 2 October 1916, Page 4

EXTENDING THE CITY.

INCLUSION OF OP AW A. TO TAKE EFFECT TO-DAY. REFERENCES AT OPAWA BOWLING CLUB OPENING. Opportunity was talten at tho opening of tho season of tha Opawa Bowling Club on Saturday afternoon to signalise in a more or less informal manner tho amalgamation of the Opawa riding of tho Heathcote County with'the City of Christchureh, a change which will como into elroct to-day. Amongst tho invited guests were the Mayor (Mr H. Holland), Town Clerk (Mr H. R. Smith), City Engineer (Mr A. D. Dobson) and Councillors G. Scott, D. G. Sullivan, W. Miller and J. W. Beanland.

Tho pr?sident of the club (Mr J. W. Hillary) in the courso of his opening speech, said that it was nov.- some months since Opawa residents had petitioned for inclusion in the city, and he desired to express the thanks of residents for the very kindly and courteous manner in which the application had been dealt with by the City Council and its officers. The petition had been granted and on Monday Opawa would bo part of tho city. They had all heard a great deal about the advantages Opawa would gain by joining tho city, but ho ■ was of opinion that tho citv was gaining advantages by the' inclusion of CrpavaV the prettiest district in tha whole of «>» Christchureh district, and ono wlnca was bound to become the most- popular residential district in all the Chnrtclmrch suburbs. The C:ty Council would also obtain control ot the mam Opawa road. (Laughter). It was oulv fair that t'ao City Council should have the responsibility for the road over which most of its own roati int-tal, bricks and sand was carted. (Ap-

plause.) THE OPAWA ROAD.

Mr GeoYgo Scott, lately chairman of the. Heathooto County Couuc.l, and a member of tho City Council, said that Ii« had taken an intimate interest m the affair.-! of the district for many rears. Ho had been a resident there lor tliirtv-one year.;, and had served it as a member of tho Road Board and subsequently as a* member of the County

Council, for nineteen years. rio liact not been abb to plwse c everybody, but h.' was pleased lo be able to say that tho district would join tha city ir.cq-or debt. The cjuest.oii of responsibuty for Opawa Road had .be-on mentioned bv the previous speaker, and he (Air Scott) might say t.;;u lie iiad been .instrumental in having a part of the cost of maintenance; alibitsd to the cAy by a Commission. 'ilia portion paid by the city was not at all adequate to thedamage done to the read by the council's drays, which carted 50,000 tons of material over it annually. He hoped that the 1 City Council in its next estimates would make proper provision for the Opa-Wa Road, and would see tho wisdom of tra.nr'wting its' road metal by rail, and' not by road at all.

SUGGESTED AMALGAMATION OF LOCAL BODIES. The city was undoubtedly a gainer by the entry of outside districts, continued Mv Scott. Had it not been for this method of expansion Christchureh' would have remained a comparatively small and insignificant distrxt compared with what it was to-day. The time was now opportune to set .about' making Christchurch the best city in New Zealand. Thev had cheap land and unequalled manufacturing facilities, and there was m reason why Christchureh should not take it 6 rightful place. He had desired to see tho city extend for many years past, and he' regretted that the whole of Heathcote County, including Brornhy, hud not become part of the city. If all the small outside controlling authorities amalgamated with the city they would get moro economical management, and would also got control of the Drainage Board. At present four sets of inspectors, with varied and sometimes conflicting requirements; inspected premises in the city—those of tlie City Council, Fire Board. Drainago Board and Hospital Board. These inspectors ought to bo under one authority, and when the necessary amalgamations were achieved tho city would be in a position to grow and prosper. (Applause.) SEVENTY YEARS' PROGRESS.

The Mayor (Mr Holland) . said ho had pleasure on behalf of the city, in welcoming as citizens the residents of Opawa. Pie felt the weight of his responsibilities keenly. Tho City Council were called the '•'City Fathers," and the advent of a large new family was a serious matter. He hoped, however, that the newcomers would prove dutiful and obedient children. Jt had been his ambi-

tion, ever since he entered public life, to see the number of local bodies reduced. As a -member of the Drainage Board bo agreed with Mr Scott, that the board's functions ought" to be controlled by tho city. All. its\great engineering Works were now completed, and there remained to be carried on only administrative work, which would bo efficiently done by tho city. "'he Opawa people were joining a city which the speaker was ' proud <f, and which ho considered the best city in the world. In tho short" space of seventy years it had been formed out of the wilderness. It had today a tramway service rosond in mileage to only one city (Sydney) south -of the Equator, and second to none in the world in excellence of installation and

rolling stock. It had a fire brigade splendidly equipped with modern plant, the advantage ot which the Opawa residents would now enjoy. In this connection he might say that tho City Council had now before it very comprehensive schemes for an improved water supply, and a better water supply nvast b 9 obtained 'for Opawa if the full benefits of city lire protection were to be obtained. They would be shareholders in the city abattoirs and in the city organ, and" he hoped they would help him to find a suitable home for the

organ in a Town Hall. WELCOME TO THE CITY. The present municipal offices, continued Mr Holland, wore erected to serve for a town of about 700 acres in are.t. To-day, with a far thicker population, the city area, excluding Opu-.va, 'was 5278 acres, with over I'M) miles of streets. The electrical supply; controlled by the city was making wonderful strides. During the last fortnight applications for power aggregating 450 h.p. had been granted and connected up, and that was an indication of the way the supply was being taken advantage of, even in war time, when everything militated against success. Ho hoped the people of Opawa would not mauifest a parochial spirit. The speaker and every councillor would consider himself their representative of the council, and do his best for their district. The ward system would bo abolished alter the next municipal election, and he then hoped that it would be possible for them to drop the names of the various suburban areas, and say Ohristchurcii Bast, Ohristchurch South, and Christchurch South-east in place of Linwood, Spreydon and Opawa. In. conclusion he again welcomed the people of >pawa to all the fry, privileges, roSonsibilities and liabilities of the city, pplause.) ■ ,