“GREATER WINTON”

Southland Times, Issue 19478, 30 March 1922, Page 5

“GREATER WINTON”

THE BOROUGH BOUNDARIES The whole of last Tuesday was taken up by the hearing of evidence by a Commismission appointed under the Municipal Corporations Act in the petition of the Winton Borough Council praying to have the boundaries of the borough extended so as to include areas to the north, west and south of the borough. The Commission were: Messrs G. Cruickshank, S.M., M. T. Brook, Crown Lands Commission, and Mr Martin, Government Valuer. Messrs Stout and Walsh appeared for the petition and M* W. Macalister for the Southland County and other objectors. Mr Stout opened the case for the borough, after which the Commission made an inspection of the proposed boundaries and of the area sought to be included in the borough. In his opening Mr Stout Baid that although Winton, with two exceptions, was the smallest borough in point of area in the Dominion, it was the centre of a large and progressive agricultural district Winton to-day was a most progressive town, and the population (600) wae large in proportion to its area (160 acres), when compared with boroughs in other parts of New Zealand, and possessing a similar statue. Mr Stout quoted statistics in support of his contention, from which it appeared that the number of residents per acre was in the case of Winton greater than in the case of the great majority of the smaller boroughs in the Dominion. A great many people had been building homes outside of the boundaries owing to the density of the population and the difficulty experienced in acquiring building sites within the borough. Evidence was given in support of the petition by the Mayor (Mr Walker), Mr R. Wilson (an ex-Mayor) and other resident®. In opening the case for the objectors, Mr Macalister said that the position of Winton was unique amongst the boroughs of New Zealand in that for over 20 years the population had remained practically stationary. He read statistics which showed that between 1916 and 1919 in the case of all the boroughs both in the North Island and in the South Island, except three small mining towns and Winton, there had been a substantial increase in the population. Between these dates Winton had gone back and it was the only borough being th® centre of an agricultural area which had. The fact that in many boroughs the area included within the boundaries was out of all proportion to the population provided no argument in support of extending the boundaries of Winton. The true inference to be drawn from these figures was that the expectations of the founders of these boroughs had not been realised. That was not the case with Winton, the founders of which had shown wisdom and foresight in making the area of the town large enough, but not too large. The result was that Winton was a compact little town with a proportion between area and population more nearly approaching the ideal than most other towns in New Zealand. With very few exceptions the residents outside the borough boundaries were making their livings wholly or partly out of the land. Winton had nothing in the way of suburb® the recidents of which had. interests in common with the townspeople. It had been admitted that the existing desire for expansion was nothing more than a desire to increase the area over which the borough council could levy rates. It was revenue the council was after, not more room for the growing population. Mr Macalister submitted that the only legitimate ground for extending the boundaries of a borough wae to keep pace with the growth of population, either within the borough or in it® suburbs. The striking fact in the case of Winton was that there had been little or no growth in the population, either inside or outside, and that being bo there was no more justification for a greater Winton today than there was twenty years ago. Evidence was given for the objectors by Mr J. R. Hamilton, M.P, Mr B. C. Bassiia®, County Engineer, and others. The chairman then declared the inquiry closed and said the evidence would be carefully considered and a recommendation made to the Governor-General.