JOINING THE CITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20199, 8 March 1929, Page 12

JOINING THE CITY.

MOUNT ROSKILL SOUTH. OBJECTION TO PRINCIPLE. "WHOLE OF AREA OR NONE." " The process of the amalgamation of rural areas with the city has gone far enough," said Mr. T. Bloodworth at the meeting of the Auckland City Council last evening in opposing any move calculated to bring Mount Roskill South into the city. "It is time we considered the interests of the city," he continued. " These people wish to come in simply because they think they will pay less rates than they do under the system now obtaining in the district. They will not bring in enough to meet their needs, and they will be a liability on the remainder of the city for a long time. It would be a different matter if the more populous part of the district desired to come in." Having given further consideration to the matter, the Finance Committee recommended the council to advise tho South Roskill Ratepayers' Association that it was prepared to consider the amalgamation of Roskill South with the city. A request for the council's passive co-opera-tion in the amalgamation movement was made by a deputation from the association which waited on tho council on December 20. Subsequently the Finance Committee recommended the council not to consider the amalgamation of only a portion of the Mount Roskill district, but this recommendation was referred back to the committee, which had since had further representations made to it by the Ratepayers' Association.

Mr. Bloodworth moved that the council should adhere to the committee's first recommendation. Mr. J. W. Kealy said that if the council declined the request it would put the greater Auckland movement back. The council had repeatedly expressed itself in favour of the Whau to the Tamaki movement, and it should not change this attitude without warning. Roskill South would not be a liability on the city. It was now rated to the extent of £IO,OOO a year, against about £SOOO under the capital values system. Mr. Bloodworth: Not enough to pay for one street. Mr. Kealy: All the streets in Roskill South are formed, and any more that are created will have to be brought up to city standards by the owners of the land being subdivided. Mr. J. A. C. Allum said the council's policy was to support amalgamation with districts between the Tamaki and the Whau. Mr. Bloodworth: .When has the council agreed that its policy includes amalgamation of only portions of districts, and has any such amalgamation taken place? Mr. A. J. Entrican, deputy-mayor: There has been no such agreement as to policy, and no such amalgamation. The amendment was lost, and the report of the committee adopted.