WAIKIWI AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 19099, 17 November 1923, Page 6

WAIKIWI AFFAIRS

DEPUTATION TO COUNTY COUNCIL. A deputation, consisting of Messrs J. McNeil, L. Lennie and F. Price, waited on the County Council yesterday morning, on behalf of the ratepayers of the Waikiwi and Collingwood suburban area. Mr McNeil said that first of all he desired to explain to the council why a meeting had been called before the ratepayers sought to interview the council. It was difficult for the ratepayers to interview the council until they called a meeting and got ’some standing in the matter. They sought information on three points, first, would the County Council still be willing to act as their local body; (2) would the council take in hand the removal of nightsoil, etc.; (3) would the council raise by special loan a sum to deal with the drainage of an area to be defined. Mr McNeil continued that these Were three propositions before the ratepayers, first, the one he had just referred to; second, the formation of a Town Board or to amalgamate with the borough. The ratepayers had no inclination to break away from the council control. It was considered to be the most economical and the most satisfactory. The drainage was a big question and generally speaking they were prepared to pay a special rate if the council would take up the work. The burning question with them, however, was the North Road problem. They had one and a-half miles of this road in the area, the upkeep of which ran into, they understood, £2OO per mile for maintenance. Messrs Lennie and Price supported Mr McNeil’s remarks. The County Engineer (Mr Basstian) was asked to speak on the question. Mr Basstian said he was pleased to see the deputation. The southern part of Collingwood had been an eyesore to the district and was really a disgrace to the town. He hoped some steps would be taken to deal with the matter. If it should be decided to form a Town Board, he suggested that the North Road problem might be settled, as had heen done in the case of Edendale, by paying a certain sum towards it upkeep. He did not think there should be any difficulty in coming to some arrangement. Mr Bowmar said that he could tell the deputation that the Health authorities had been in communication with the council regarding drainage. He said it might be found that drainage could be carried out much more cheaply through linking up with the town system than by putting in a new system. He also referred to the possibility of setting up a commission to inquire into the circumstances of the position and finally assured the deputation that their representations would have the earnest consideration of the Council.