BRYNDWR PETITION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18410, 17 June 1925, Page 7

BRYNDWR PETITION.

CONSIDERED BY COMMISSION. A- commission consisting of Messrs Wyrein "Wilson, S.M., G. H. Bullard (Commissioner of Crown Lands), and W. H. Pullar (Valuation Department) met yesterday to consider a petition from residents in Proportion of Bryndwr asking that a cert.iin :irea in that district be separated from tbo city of Chri3tchurch and included in the Waimaiii County. The portion sought to bo restored to the County is bounded by tho W.airarapa road, and traverses a part of Bligh's read, and of Idris road, and shuts Ca tho Bryndwr railway station. Mr J. J. Dougall appeared on behalf of the petitioners, and (_'r. C. P. Agar (the Deputy-Mayor; ior the Christchurcn City Council, alt a. i,. jUcCuriby staled tndt lio appeared on bonair 01 tno .f upauui Uuigtitics AaSuciaU-ju, \stucii objtcud to tue i-cuuun. ±uo cuairman said that the Association's c-tyeetiou iiatt not rtaclieu tue cou»uussion. iu.r jj.i-Caii.iiy Siiicl lie iiaa lodged it wim tho City Council. cr. uaKto; that Mr McCarthy should ba associated witli tno City C<-uucil. Mr jUcvanhy naving coi»ienteol to do so, the Commission allowed him to appear. Mr ijougaii applied lor an adjournment on tie ground that he had only been instructed in tho matter within tho past few days, and ted not had an opportunity to go into the cuae with the petitioners. Cr. Agar objected on the score that the reason for applying fcr an adjournment was not a very strong one. As somo ot the petitioners were present, Mr Dougall was given a few minutes to confer with thern. Mr Uougail, addressing the Commission, said -the pctiticn was based on a general complaint about rates, and failure to improve the district and tho belief that the area would be better served by tho County. Eighty per cent, of the residents in ths area had signed ths petition. Evidence- was called as follows: F. J. Maindonald, engineer, 175 Idris road, said hat his rates under the County were.under £5, under the City they-were about £lO. Tho side channels were blocked, nothing having been don© to them. No drainage had been provided. The chairman: Have you made any complaint direct to the City Council. Witness stated that ho himself had not done so, but lis neighbours had. Continuing in reply to Mr Dougall, witness said that he had voted against the inclusion of tho area in the Ci(y. The area referred to in the petition was more of a rural locality, and had mere community of interest with tho County. To Mr McCarthy: Tho area had been revalued and if he had remained in the County his rates would have been increased. His valuation had gone up between £2OO and £3OO. Ho had lived in the district for nearly four years, and the drainage had been the same during tho whole pericd. To Mr Agar: It would surprise him to learn that under the present valuation his rates to the City were £4 16s lid, as compared with £5 2s 6d, the amount they would b3 under the County. F. W. Hunt, retired Civil Servant, Idris road, said his area was 2. acres, on which there was an eight-roomed house; the land was part in orchard, part in garden, and part in paddock. His reason for wishing to: rejoin tho County was the excessive rates, and .tho fact that the County channelled all round him and left him out. Tho last rates ho paid to the County totalled a 'ittlo over £6; the last rates paid to the City totalled over £l7; the year before ho paid £3 16s to the City; His capital value had been increased from £540 to £720, and his unimproved value from £4OO to £6OO. Only a few houses in the area had a quarter of an acre. Of tho freeholders in (he area 32 out of a total of 38 had signed the petition before the Commission: ihosa who signed the present petition had opposed the area joining tho City. To Mr McCarthy: The channelling done in the vicinity of the area was done since tho are-t joined the City. Mr McCarthy: Yon" know -ha l - i.y forming your*3lves into a special rating area you can get the channelling done? Witness: "Yes." Continuing, witness stated that he knew that if he were in the County ho would ha<ve to pay the Waiiiakariri Biver Trust rates. • •'< ' • ■ Mr McCarthy said that "witness's ffeaeral rate in- tho City' was. £9 Is 9d, as compared with the C:unty general rato of £8 ss—a difference, of 16s 9d. To tho chairman: He had resided in tho area for 32 years. He had not approached tho City Council about the t channelling, nor had he complained about the civic services. - J. N. Mavvson, mechanical engineer, 85 Idris road, eaid ha had resided in the district for 40 years: he had one acre. The land was rural land. To the chairman: Fivo new houses had been erected on the area since it became part of the City. They hid got nothing from the City except increased rates. Continuing to Mr Dougall, witness said that prior to joining the City the residents had been promised from the City aide channels, hi?h pressure water supply, and sewerage. The area should never have been included in the City. He disposed of the drainage in a nit on his proj>erty. To Mr McCarthy: He did not blame the City- for the revaluation. Ho had sold half an acre at £250 to his son. Witness gave- no reply to the question: How could you profitably occupy for rural purposes land at £SOO jwr acre? He stated that he resided on part of the land. W. E. Ward, noultry farmer, 202 Idris road, stated that he had two acres, and had lived en it for eleven years. His unimproved value had doubled. His rates in Waimairi had been £7 odd, the first year in the City £lO odd, and last year £lB 43. They had got no extra service; they had been promised cheap insurance and the people who had' promised them this—the people represented by Mr McCarthy—had been . the first to forget them after they had got asuhalt pavements. He had complained to the City authorities regarding the side channels and also as to tho stats of'the footbaths; seme screenings wipe put down. The petitioners would be satisfied if the Commission recommended a poll. To Cr; Agar: Ho would be very much surprised if the general rates he paid to the City -tare only 10s lOd more than tne County general rate. Andrew Boyd, farmer, Idris road, said he had been foui! years living in the area: he had. 2 acres 3 roods 10 perches, tome of wmen he cropped. His rates in Waimain were ■C6 odd; .in the first year under the City they totalled £l2 odd; and after revaluation they wero £lB. Had a vote been taken in that "riding residents would not have gone into the City. They had been overwhelmed bv voting on the main road. Mr Dougall said he would like the opportunity of calling more evidence. Augustus William Galbraith, City Engineer, said the roads were in yery ™ ir condition. The ditches might want a little attention, but he could see no defects that would constitute a nuisance. The gravel footways were also in fair condition. To Mr Dougall: The area would compare favourably with Pt. Albans or Papanui. It could be- controlled by a county- <™™*; James Kennedy Macdonald, City Bate Colletor. said the Woimain rate of lid on the capUal value would produce £2OB Es 7d in the area, while the City rate on the unimproved value would produce £216. Xho capital value for 1923-24 was £22 120 and the unimproved value £8970, while for 1924--5 tho capitai value was £33,325 and the unimproved value £15,360. James Anderson, City Treasurer, said that the share of assets brought m the City D y the amounted to £199, «d the share of City assets taken out, if the area was excluded; amounted to £537. The area wat ptrfged as-sccurity for a water supply loan and a loan to improve St. James 3 P The Commission' will take further evidence ct 2.30 next Monday.