COUNTY BOUNDARIES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18409, 16 June 1925, Page 7

COUNTY BOUNDARIES.

PREVENTION OF CONTINUED ALTERATION.

VIEWS OF MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

Recently Mr G. Witty, lI.P. for Siccarton, introduced a deputation to tho Hoc. H. F. Bollard, Minister of Internal Affairs, consisting- c£ representatives of the Wairuairi County Council, which made representations to tho Minister relative to provision being made to prevent the continued alteration of boundaries be'tween boroughs and counties, with the consequent upsetting of county finance. The.Minister has written" to Mr Witty stating that ho has given the matter careful consideration, and enclosing a copy of a letter he has addressed to Mr Q Seymour, chairman of tho Waimairi County Council, which embodies the-' Minister's views on the subject. The Minister's letter, dated tho 9th inst., is as follows :«

Referring to the representations recently made- to mo by Mr Witty, M.P.,. yourself, and Mr Dougall, relative to the question of making some provision to, if possible, pievent continued alteration of county boundaries, I have now to state that I have, as promised, given this matter my careful consideration.

Two suggestions were put forward—the first being that a petition be not considered in respect of the' exclusion of an area from a county and its inclusion in a borough for a psriod of five years if a petition in respect of tho same area had been turned down. .The second proposal waa.that there should in* every instance for tho exclusion of an area from a county be a poll of ratepayers. With regard to the first proposal, I have to state that there is no'doubt that there is a good deal to be said in favour of the .suggestion that some time limit be yed in order to prevent petitions in respect of tho same area being dealt with within a given period. , There are, however) a number of points, which will require careful consideration. For instance, it will be recognised that areas adjacent to boroughs frequently become closely settled within a short period, and it might quite easily happen that an area adjoining ,a borough is subdivided for closer settlement purposes, and a petition is lodged for the inclusion of the area in tho borough. ' At the time of the petition there might be very few houses erected,' and the petition might not be given effect to. Settlement might, ; however, quickly follow, and large numbers or houses • might be erected within a comparatively ohort time, rendering it possibly highly de3irablo for health purposes that the land should be included in the borough, primarily to facilitate • the necessary draina?e and other services essential to the well-being of the people. While it was stated' that aa . far as the Waimairi County Council is concerned, it was providing for the inhabitants in closely settled .areas all convenience's necessary, it has at the samo time to bo remembered that generally speaking County. Councils do not cither have sufficient moneys ■or consider it part of their proper duties to deal with closely settled areas, and that was tho primary reason for the constitution of town districts in areas whero there are not less than 50 householders.

County Councils, in the majority of casos, consider they have sufficient to do to look properly after the roads within their districts, but, on the other hand, counties which are adjacent to larger centres of, population very often require duties which are. really more in the nature of, those required by boroughs. It seems to me that it would be necea-. sary if the provision asked for was made that it should be subject to the proviso that a petition in respect of the eamo area could be made at any time if the number of persons residing within the area was not less than 50, or if the Health Department certified that the inclusion.cf the area, within the borough was desiraolo .for health reasons.

I thought when ■first cotosiflering this matter, that • provision might bo made for a petition at any finie if the populationwithin the area ..had- increased, say, 50 per cunt., but on thinking this ever the per--cantage ' basis would hardly bo practicable' •because there might be : only -'one house on the property when: thii petition 'was ; drigin-.' ally made,, and even, if ,an additional house was put thereon, that would only make; two ■houses, but'tho increase -yrauld be 100 per cent. ...-.•:.. ■•-..-■ :•■■'•

A petition for an alteration- of boundaries of a borough requires to be signed by onefourth of the electors in the area proposed to, bo included in. or excluded from &' borough, and thu reason why this' small percentage was required is undoubtedly ' because there was provision for the appointment of a Commission, but consequent' upon ■ increased settlement the number of petitions _ increases year by year, and must continue to so increase.

After giving, the matter \ ery careful consideration, I •am of tho opinion that it is desirable to consider, whother the percentage of electors should net'be increased from one-fourth as 'it now stands, 'to threefifths. If this proposal was agreed to it should largely meet tho view of your, Council, becauso, in tho first-place, it ..would not be so easy, to Ret a petition as it now is, and this .should reduce the number,and secondly because it ; would seem to •do away with any necessity for a poll when a. majority 6f the electors were in. favour of their lands being .included in or excluded from a borough. With regard to the question of a poll being taken in every case of the • proposed exclusion of an area from a itwould seem to mo that this is open to certain objections, .for instance, there are cases where there "are .'&' '■» ery few people within the area proposed to be excluded from a county, and it would seem to 1 be an unnecessary expense if, in the first place, a majority of the persons within the area had petitioned or were in favour of the alteration, and in the second place when a Commission, if appointed, .recommended the alteration.'

While it is true as stated by Mr Dougall that a poll is mandatory in the case of a proposed constitution of a borough and also that if that poll is not carried, no further petition on a like proposal dealing with substantially tho same area, can be presented within two -years after the date of the poll, it must, ; however, bo remembered 'that tho constitution cf a borough affects a large number of people, as a borough cannot be constituted unless it has a population of at least 1003. ••, Taking everything into consideration, I am o{ opinion that the most desirable alteration to-make would be as stated, to increase the percentage of electors signing a petition froni one-fourth, as it now stands, to threA-fifths, as'l think this would result in fewer petitions and would' also do away with the necessity for a poll, and would also possibly in many cases, render.a C*™: mission unnecessary, seeing that there would bo-clear evidence that the majority of the electors in the area desired the alteration, and consequently there might not be objec ! tions ledged to the proposed alteration. I am not in favour of altering the provisions in tho Municipal Corporations. Act giving a Borough Council power to petition tor the inclusion of lands in the borough, as thi3 power can only be exercised when a Council considers that adjacent lands ought to be included in the borough, and further a Commission is mandatory: As the matter at issua is one which I itally concerns all boroughs and counties, 1 think the question should in the first place be referred for the consideration of the Counties' Confereace, and also of the Municipal Conference, and I would therefore suggest that your Council takes the necessary steps to bring the matters before both tho conferences mentioned, and m doing =so I shall be glad, if, in addition to any your Council desire to put beiore such conferences, you also submit the suggestion made by me, namely, that tho percentage ot electors required to sign a petition for the alteration of County boundaries for the exclusion of lands from the County or the inclusion of lands therein, be increased from one-fourth of tho electors to three-fifths, and that a poll bo not mandatory.