The Star. SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1908. GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9209, 11 April 1908, Page 4

The Star. SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1908. GREATER CHRISTCHURCH.

It is a moot point whether a Mayor \s worse than a City Councillor or a City Councillor is worse than a Mayor. But they are all bad men. It is only taatural, therefore, that whenever an Aggrieved citizen stubs his toe against b stone, or hits a lamp-post with, his bicycle, "or turns his ankle on a banana Bkin, he should arise in his wrath tend demand the heads of all the civic authorities upon as many platters. In pursuance of this system a number of fratepayers in St Albans met last night to demand that the northern ward tehoulct climb over the back fence, and E»t out of Greater Christchurch as fast as it could. Apparently the only ground advanced for the cause of secession imis the ' fact that the Drainage {Board had Been doing something to one vt the drains in Colombo Street, and bad neglected to sprinkle the work Withr ettax of roses whilst it was in Uporation, and had subsequently left [the, Wad one twenty-fourth part of an jinch out of plumb. Judging by the Attendance at the meeting the interest taken in the agitation is not very great, bat after Mr Ell's lucid and terse sumtaary: of tie position the ratepayers of Bt Albans. will probably arise to a ifcense^of their responsibilities. Mr Ell conclusively why St Albans Whotfl<!*©ceda. It should secede because Tind^ti^h^.new arrangement the fesiJientrafSti Albans are getting their rubbish removed from their gates free, their Park has been improved, a rotunda has been built, trees have been jplanted, the roads and channels and kerbing: have been put in good order, the expenditure on road metal has been frlmost trebled', the-wages spent by the borough in the ward have gone up from '£1438 to £2306, and the men are getting a shilling a day more than previously. It shoxild secede because the Council has spent £6036 in the district in a year, and has only drawn £4892 in rates. It should secede because Wio Council has had the impertinence to widen Merivale Lane and St Albans Lane, thereby depriving the St Albans people of a legitimate grievance. It should secede because all these /works have been done for St Albans Tvitnout the. rates being increased. As * matter of fact, St Albans, or rather the infinitesimal portion of it which fe concerned in this complaint, is in the 'position of King Gama, who found life extremely flat becauee he had. nothing; whatever to grumble at. If the CSty Council will only dig up one of the St Albans streets or leave a broken tenlverb unattended to for a month or JtWo there would be nothing more heard )of the agitation foT secession. In the •words of David Harum, "a certain fcmount of fleas is good for a dog. {Keeps horn from worryin' about bein' ■a, dog." St Albans is a dog without tteas, and the aristocratic suburb is Buffering as a consequence. Meanwhile ißeckenham has come into the fold, and there' is an early prospect of North Linwood following suit. The time is Hot a time to be talking secession. InlEtead, the wards which had the proud [privilege of being the first to amalgamate into Greater Christchurch should fce devoting all their energies to inducing their neighbours to come in. The opportunity to make Christchurch the jbiggestj brightest and most beautiful 'city in, the dominion lies right at their doors.