GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7583, 23 December 1902, Page 2

GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

Tho supporters of tlie Greater Christchurch movement can certainly not be. charged^ith any lethargy in pursuing their campaign. They have built up a very pretty public opinion. upon the subject by an untiring* system of education. They have given ifc to us line upon llinte t precept upca precept, here a little and there a little, until we have been almost in danger of having the dose overdone. However/ the crusade has reached the practical staged now, and the electors of the district will be asked' to formally pronounce upon the proposal in a few weeks' :time. The City Council took the second formal step last night, when it fixed' Jan. 22 for the poll which is stipulated for by the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act of last session. Th& poll, so far as the city is concerned, will probably result in a substantial declaration in favour of a Greater Christchurch, for the city is very much in love and intensely earnest in its proposal. But the boroughs adjoining are by no means in the same unqualified) condition of " willin'ness" as Barkis was^nd i/ is more than likely that one, or more of them will prove coy, and repudiate the polygamous proposal of the city. But, whatever the result, it is to be hoped that th© poll when J it is taken will be a thoroughly representative one. We do not want a repetition of tho half-hearted victory which was won by the Rating on Unimproved Values Party I on the occasion of the last municipal poll, j While that result was eminently a satisfactory one in most respects, it would "have been much more convincing (had it been ! more representative of the numerical strength, of the roll. In this case, too, a representative poll ia even more necessary, I for the verdict doeß not rest finally with ; the people. Supposing the proposal to be endorsed by a majority of the electors who go» to the poll, it has still to be submitted to the Governor for approval, and' it will then remain with the Executive to sanction j the amalgamation or not, as it thinks fit. j If the opponents of the 'scheme can point I to an indifferent display of interest as evidenced "byj a small poll, this might not im- j probably weigh with the Executive in making its ultimate decision. In the meantime there am still several weeks to go before the taking of the poll, and there is ample time for any elector who has not satisfied himself upon the merits or demerits of the scheme to do so. The issue to be submitted is a clear and comprehensive one, and it has been «o thoroughly discussed and ventilated that there should be little further to <&ay upon the subject.