CITY EXPANSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16470, 5 July 1921, Page 6

CITY EXPANSION.

NEEDS OF LARGE CENTRES. The advisability of having a special Act for cities and large boroughs, or of promoting special legislation for large cities, was discussed in a: letter from the Minister oi< Internal Affairs read in the City Council last night. Mr Downie Stewart stated that the Municipal Conference of 1919 had resolved that there should be special legislation for the cities and boroughs engaged in municipal trading concerns on the ground that they required. wider powers. The Department had had tho question under consideration for some years, but owing to the war, no action had been taken. From time to time it had been found necessary to pass local Acts to facilitate the government of the city, and the question of bringing down legislation embodying such existing legislation as was considered necessary, together with further powers considered advisable, should now bo seriously considered. Special legislation had been proposed in Australia', but not yet passed. 1 The Melbourne Aletropohtan Council Bill proposed the constitution of a body somewhat of the type of the London County Council—that was, a large body dealing only with certain problems in all districts within a given metropolitan area, such as transport, water supply, and so on ; leaving the existing city and boroughs within such area to admini:*ter all other functions of local government. The Greater Sydney proposal was somewhat different, the suggested provisions being that the existing Sydney City Council should have control, with enlarged powers, within an area comprising the present city and certain boroughs, which area should be called an “ inner zone.” Provision tvas also made for an “ outer zone.” the area within which should be partially under the control of the City Council, the idea being probably to make the City Council a supervising town planning authority over the whole of the area that possobly within, say, fifty or sixty years or so, would naturally become part of the city. The question of which, if either, of the Melbourne or Sydney proposals was suitable in the case of the citieß in New Zealand was one which would have to lie decided primarily by the city councils concerned, and it seemed to him that if the Christchurch City Council desired to taiie any action in the matter, the first step would be to sat up a committee to inquire fully into the whole question. It might later be considered desirable to appoint a joint committee of representatives of the four City Council*? with tt view of deciding whether joint action in the matter would be desirable. Councillor F. R. Cooke moved that delegates should be appointed to represent the council at the conference. It was an important question, and legislation was necessary. He was in favour of setting up a Christchurch County Council, and he thought the Melbourne legislation would suit Christchurch at the present time. The Mavor (Dr Thacker. M.P.): Could not the matter come up at next meeting P

Councillor D. G. Sullivan. M.P.. said that, when the Municipal Corporations Act was reviewed in 1920. several suggestions were made that would improve the Act in relation to large cities. One proposal was that places like Christchurch and New Brighton could be united, though there was a strip intervening between the districts. . He would like to see a special committee set up t-o "o into the whole matter. Under the legislation of 1920. municipalities could enter into anv kind of trading enterprise, if they had the support of the citizens of the district. It was desirable that the conference should discuss this aspect as well as the inclusion of outside districts. He suggested that councillors should assist in connection with the Greater Christchurch movement, for which there was wide and growing public supoort. It was decided to hold the letter over for a future meetin" and that armlication be made for conies of the Bills drawn up to cover Sydney and Melbourne.

A special committee, consisting of Councillors Sullivan. Flesher, Armstrong. Winsor and M’Kellar, was set up to make further inquiries in the meantime.