RIDING BOUNDARIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 221, 18 September 1928, Page 6

RIDING BOUNDARIES

Readjustment by the Waitotaic. County Council

A general re-arrangement of the ridings in the Waitotara County, which will be given effect to on April 1 next, will give greater community of interest to the settlers in the various districts, and at the same time will not result in any addition in rates. In one area the rates will actually be reduced.

It is not proposed to increase the number of ridings in the country, but boundaries will undergo radical changes resulting in the amalgamation of the Brunswick and Westmere ridings and the appearance of Mosston as a new riding. The Waitotara riding is to be reduced, it having been decided to add the area between the Kai Iwi stream and the present Brunswick and Westmere boundaries to the new Bruns-wick-Westmere riding, and about 4500 acres to the south of the Kai Iwi stream will be attached to the Waitotara riding. In addition to these a derations, a portion of the Tokomaru riding in the Tokomaru East district, comprising roughly six square miles, will be added to the new Brunswick-Westmere riding, while a portion of the Westmere riding in the Hpringvale distirct comprising 550 acres will be formed into a separate riding known as Alosston. In all probability the personnel of the present council will not undergo any immediate change, although the representation from the various areas will be altered. None of the present councillors is a resident of the Mosston district, but the Act permits representation by a resident in a riding other than that in which there is a vacancy. Representation The new Waitotara riding will be represented by three councillors, Brunswick-Westmere by four. Tokomaru by one and Alosston by one'. In this connection it is interesting to note that Alosston, with 214 ratepayers. has one representative, while Waitotara, -with 195 ratepayers, has three. This seeming differentation in treatment is accounted for by the fact that the rateable capital value of the latter riding is ten times greater than that of the former, representation being fixed on a basis of rateable values and a total of ratepayers. During recent years the growth of

Wanganui city has led to several encroachments on the Waitotara County. Russell Street, Aramoho, was once the city boundary, but it was soon found necessary to make an addition with the result that the city now extends as far as the cemetery. In 1907 portions of Gonvillc were lost to the county, and in 1911 Cast ecliff followed suit.

Parsons Street on St. John’s Hill was once known as Town Bolt Roaa. but in that direction also the city has grown extensively. With the institution of rating on the unimproved value, some of the city areas went back into the county, but these 'were not large and by no means left the city cramped for room. Some who are competent to judge, arc of the opinion that the time is not far distant when the new Mosston riding will become part of the city. A number of county residents are already on the city water supply, but when it comes to sewerage, it is necessary for the areas concerned to become merged in the city. Rates Reduced From the ratepayers’ point of view, the fact that rates are not to bc increased as a resu't of the readjustments, is important. Actually, some ratepayers will benefit; those within the Tokomaru riding where the rate is in the £, will only pay lid when their lands become part of the Brunswick-West mere riding. Obviously this will result in a slight decrease in the total rates collected by the council, but on going into figures the local authority has decided that maintenance works can still bc done without altering the rate basis. The new arrangement must meet with satisfaction in all quarters; not only will rates either remain the same or bc reduced, but such a position as that arising in the Westmere riding, where the Afosston vote could “swamp” the poll, will be obviated.