GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 566, 2 December 1915, Page 3

GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

OPAWA WILL JOIN CITY.

MEETING LAST NIGHT. '

A very large and interested gathering of Opawa residents assembled in St. Mark's Schoolroom last night to hear addresses from Crs A. S. Taylor and D. G. Sullivan on the | question of Opawa amalgamating j with Greater Christehurch. The meeting was convened by the Opawa! Burgesses' Association and Mr John j Clarke, president of the association, presided. | In introducing the speakers Mr Clarke said that the residents of the district had very much cause for dissatisfaction at the condition of | stagnation into which their district had fallen. No municipal progress had been made, and they had determined to endure the position no longer. They were going to bring! about an effective change. Cr Taylor said that although he was keenly interested in the development of the Greater Christehurch idea, and would be delighted to welcome Opawa into the city, he was nevertheless not there to over-per-suade them. Cr Sullivan and himself would merely place the facts before them and the dicision was then a matter for themselves. The metropolitan movement was not confined to Christehurch, for in both Auckland and Dunedin the small outside districts were recognising the advantages of amalgamation with the city, and were linking up. The movement in Christehurch had commenced under the mayoralty of the Hon. H. F. Wigram, when the boroughs of Linwood, Sydenham, and St. Albans had. joined the city. Since that time North Linwood, Beckenham, and North Richmond had also come in, and he did not believe that any one of them had cause to regret its action. He considered it absurd that Opawa should continue under a rural form of government, as its interests were identical with those of the city. THE ADVANTAGES. Referring to the advantages that Opawa would obtain by amalgamation Mr Taylor said that they would include efficient administration. A large municipality could pay for the best engineering and administrative skill, and this was beyond the means of small districts. It would also have the v advantage of the Fire Brigade, rubbish collection, the destructor, etc. An important change involved would be rating on unimproved values instead of on capital values, but out of some £OO ratepayers in the riding only some 67 would pay increased rates. Some of the increases would be very small, and the rest of the ratepayers would pay substantially less than they do at present/ The variation would be in the general rate,*all other rates remaining as at present. Another change would be in the matter of the franchise. The county - franchise was based on' a property qualification, but the city franchise was adult. suffrage. He must tell them, however, that works involving heavy capital expenditure running into thousands of pounds would have to be raised by loan involving special rates in Opawa. That was only right. Mr Taylor concluded by reiterating his statement that he did not wish to over-persuade the Opawa people, but he was sure that their best interests lay in joining the city. SUBURBAN HOSTILITY. Cr I). G. Sullivan said he had observed that when the mayors and councillors of the suburban boroughs were discussing the question of amalgamation with the city they were generally to the idea. Their hostility, however, was based upon a misapprehension. They assumed that the material advantage of union lay with the city. This was erroneous, for the balance of, advantage undoubtedly lay with the outside districts. It generally cost a good deal of money to put them in decent order, quite apart from special loans that might be raised. This statement held good even as between the Central Ward : and the other three districts. The ' Central Ward contributed 64] per J cent, of the revenue, and, although ward accounts were not kept, there was no doubt whatever that that proportion of revenue was not spent in the old part of the city. The council motto was "from each ward according to its power, to pacli according to its need." Opawa, if it came would get the benefit of that principle. ADVANCE OPAWA. One of the advantages of municipal centralisation was the proportionately reduced cost of administration. This item in the city was only 6.1 per cent, as against 19 per cent, in ITeathcote County, and proportions varying from 13 per cent, to 30 per cent, in the other municipal districts. Besides obtaining the advantage of city services both North Linwood and North Richmond had had their rates substantially reduced by coming into the city. He remembered the time when Opawa was a flourishing suburb, but to-day it was one of the most backward, and he thought that its best chance of advancement lay in linking up with the city.

After the speakers had answered a number of questions, it was unanimously resolved on the motion of Mr H. A. Bruce, seconded by Mr 11. Yoyoe, "That this meeting instructs the Burgesses' Association to petition the Government for the prpose of admitting Opawa to Christchurcli." A hearty vote of thanks to the speakers and the chairman concluded the meeting.