SUBURBAN DESTRUCTOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18222, 16 October 1922, Page 9

SUBURBAN DESTRUCTOR

PROPOSED MT. EDEN SITE.

PROTEST BY RESIDENTS.

MORE ISOLATED AREA URGED

The proposal to erect a destructor in the Mount Eden district was discussed at a meeting of objectors to the proposal, convened by the Mount Eden Ratepayers' Association, and held yesterday afternoon at Potter's Park, near the Dominion Road terminus. Mr. T. Buchanan presided over a gathering of several hundred.

The chairman said they objected strongly to being committed to an expenditure of £5000 on the purchase of a tit© for a destructor without the proposal being first submitted to the ratepayers. Mr. W. J. Hammil, a member of (ho Borough Council, denounced in strong terms what he characterised as the " Star Chamber" methods of the council. The whole question, he said, had been discussed in committee, and it was only at the last council meeting that he had been successful in bringing the matter into open council. Thoro were several more suitable sites in loss thickly populated areas.

Mr. A. Hall Skelton said he considered the proposal a most iniquitous one and a manifest injustice to one of the finest and most thickly-populated suburbs of Auckland. The proposal, however, had little hope of being put through in the "Wash-ing-up BUI," as ho bad it on good authority that 22 members of the House were prepared to " stonewall" the measure. ' Mr. W. H. Nagle, a former member of the council, and Mr. E. Richards, also spoke on similar lines. The chairman read a telegram from Mr. V,. H. Potter stating that he would present the petition at the earliest date, and would watch carefully that no hasty legislation against the best interests of the district was allowed to proceed without his strongest protest. Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., also telegraphed to the effect that he would use his best efforts to resist any proposal to place a destructor on the site indicated. The council's plain duty was to promote a local Bill thus giving objectors a chance to bo heard. The following motion was declared carried unanimously:—"That having in view the explanation of the Mayor that it was necessary to deal with the matter of the purchase of a site for the proposed destructor, the ratepayers present are of tn .° option: (a) That the council committed S grave error of judgment in not taking the ratepayers into their confidence before committing them to the purchase of any site for a destructor to deal with rubbish other than that of the Borough of Mount Eden; (b) that while not objecting to the principle of a destructor for dealing with the rubbish of tho borough, they strongly oppose the proposal to allow rubbish to be carted through the district from all tho surround- I ing districts; (c) that the. proposed site! is in too close proximity to a school and ' a densely-populated and'ever-growing por- | tion of both Mount Eden and Mount Albert, and would be offensive to the inhabitants and property owners, and i I against the best interests of the health of ! the children; (d) that the council! should cancel the agreement to purchase the property and then confer with other local bodies with a view to acquiring a more isolated, less extensive and expensive property, and, if necessary, acquire such under the Public Works Act; (e) that the meeting approves of the steps already taken in opposing the scheme, and pledges itself to use every legitimate effort to prevent the council erecting a destructor on the proposed Rite, or any other site within the borough without first submitting the matter to tho ratepayers."