PROPOSED TOWN BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19311, 24 October 1924, Page 2

PROPOSED TOWN BOARD.

MACANDREW BAT DISTRICT. RATEPAYERS’ STRONG OPPOSITION. Strong opposition is being taken to the proposal formulated to set up a town board at Macandrew’s Bay. From inquiries made it appears that the majority of the ratepayers and residents of the Bay township will register their votes against the proposal. At a public meeting held on Monday evening last for the purpose of considering the advisability or otherwise of terming a town, board, the committee set up some time ago to go into the matter reported in favour of the project. After a lengthy discussion a vote was taken, and this resulted in 46 voting for and 14 against the proposal. The meeting was attended by about 60 residents of the bay district, and Air J. M‘Don aid presided. The foundation of tho proposal was laid about 18 months ago, when a committee, under the chairmanship of Mr G. Bewley, was set up to consider the benefits which might be derived from the formation of a town board as compared with those received under the present administration This committee, after giving the matter every consideration; had no recommendation to make, and another', committee was set up some six months ago under the chairmanship of Mr J. M‘Donald. This committee,' After full consideration of the matter, called the jneotii|B Judd on Monday evening, and invited all those who, in its opinion, were eligible to vote on the subject. The committee’s. opinion, so it is stated, was that only resident householders should have the power to vote on the proposal to form a. town board The comjnittee’s interpretation of this power is that a resident honsholder is a person who is a permanent resident of the townships of Collingswood, Wharfdalo, and Macandrew’s Bay, with a seaboard frontage of roughly one and three quarter miles. It was pointed out that the committee would state nothing definite as to liabilities, or. in other words, as to the cost of the upkeep of the Beach road from the city boundary to the Collingswood boundary. That point was really the bone of contention at Monday’s meeting, at which it was decided by a majority of votes to proceed with a petition for the formation of a town board. The voting at that meeting, however, was no indication of the support likely to be given for or against the proposal, as in many cases two or more from one household registered their votes. From the opposition point of view it is maintained that any person who is the owner of a house and which residence is kept for his sole use, should be entitled to sign tho petition for or against the proposal. Quite a number of week-end summer visitors (persons who reside in the city) own valuable property at the bays, which they keep for their own use. Such persons should also be entitled to have a say in deciding what form the governing body shall take. The position is that if these week-end owners of property are given a voto on th.© subject there will be no possibility of a town board being formed, for the reason that thej are quite satisfied with the present administration, and have no wish to be rated as city property. A legal opinion on the question is now hein"- obtained as to the definition of a resident householder. Telegrams have also been forwarded to Dunedin members of Parliament stating that there is considerable opposition to tn© proposal, and asking thorn to stay the hand of the Governor-General in issuing a proclamation for tho formation of a town district in the meantime. The residents of the township of Macandrew’s which is situated on tho north-east boundary of tho proposed town board, are said to he practically unanimous against the proposal, and a counter-petition is now being circulated amongst these residents to bo forwarded to the Governor-General prayin'’- him lo exclude tho township from any town board. Every ratepayer in the township ’ will ho waited upon during (ho coming week. According to the Road Board s rate books, the total revenue to bo derived from the proposed town boardtoarca would lie £425 per annum. It takes approximately £IOO per mile per annum to maintain tho Beach road district of about seven miles, and the liability of this maintenance would have to ho divided between the proposed town board and tho Portobello Road Board. Thi-s expenditure would seriously dimmish tho existing revenue, which would leave practically nothing to be spent on the township roads. . _ , Under tho jurisdiction of the 1 orto hollo Road Board ’any district can be made a special rating area for the purpose of making any improvement decided upon Iw the ratepayers in tho area affected. This is the only power by which a town hoard could also carry out improvements. Divided control means extra expense. In order to place the proposal on a proper footin"- it will he necessary for a petition, stoned by at least two-thirds of tho resident householders, to be presented to the Governor-General for his proclamation or otherwise of tho proposed town district.