Amalgamation Urged at Roskill

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 167, 5 October 1927, Page 9

Amalgamation Urged at Roskill

PETITION TO BOARD MANY SIGNATURES ATTACHED AN important feature of last meeting of Mount Roskill Road Board was a deputation of ratepayers who attended to present a petition, signed by 550 ratepayers, requesting that the board would take a poll upon the question of amalgamating Mount Roskill district with Auckland

Mr. J. W. Shackleford, as principal spokesman, explained that a properlyconstituted council of ratepayers had been formed to collect signatures to the petition. The law required that at least 10 per cent, of the total number of ratepayers concerned must sign the petition, and in the large number of signatures, obtained without any difficulty, were concerned persons of all classes, shades and interests. Even allowing for possible duplications and other causes where persons erroneously believed themselves to be qualified ratepayers, there would still remain far more names than demanded by the Act. In the petition no association or organised public body waj represented; the promulgation of the petition had been projected in the interests of Mount Roskill as a whole. The work done in the past by the Road Board was fully recognised and given all honour and credit, and no reflection whatever was cast upon the board by the presentation of the petition. One object more to the front than any other in the desires of the petitioners was the acquisition of an extension of the tramway service in the district — a point of extreme importance. If amalgamation was not decided upon, it might be a very long time before they secured any extension of the tramways. Amalgamation meant real progress and advancement to prosI»erity. Mr. G. E. Tansev, who for some c onsiderable time held the position of chairman on the road board, endorsed Mr. Shackleford’s remarks in the main, but they should not join absolutely unconditionally as had been the case with Avondale. Responding, the chairman, Mr. E. J. Jones, observed that the board had no intention of entering into the merits or demerits of the petition. He would merely hand the petition to the clerk, and if it was found to comply fully with the requirements of the Act, arrangements. would be made to take the poll, as requested.