BOROUGH CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 736, 8 February 1910, Page 6

BOROUGH CONFERENCE

HUTT AND PETONE COUNCILLORS. AMALGAMATION DISCUSSED; A conference between the Petone and Hutt Borough' Councils was held last evening,' to consider the'question of the advisableness of the amalgamation of the two boroughs. Mr; J. W.'.M'Ewan, Mayor of Petone, and Mr. E. P. Bunny, Mayor of the. Hutt, sat side bj* side in " the chair. The following representatives" of" the Petone Council were present:—Councillors Truman, Piper," List, *' Short, • Southgate, and Harding. The, Hutt representatives were Councillors Hayes, Clere, Baldwin, Macaskill; and Barlow. ,

"Mr. Bunny said'it was not the'intention of his' council to ask Petone to come' to any conclusion-at once, as they (the Hutt)had not'.come to a conclusion themselves; There, was .a feeling at the Hutt. that the question of amalgamation should receive: serious -consideration,, and he also knew a number of public men in Petone who -were also of the same opinion. _ -It appeared-to him that it was impossible to come to a conclusion at .once as. to a line on which amalgamation should, proceed. "It would; involve a" good deaf' of inquiry before: conditions : could be'laid . down',;but he'thought the time had come when these inquiries should be instituted. Sir. Biinnv went on to enumerate reasons why alnalgamation , should ; take .. place, pointing' out that in- a population * of 10,000' there were no fewer local bodies. One strong -local -body elected from the whole district might' very: well carry, out the functions of the. five'bodies' . with, advantage to the- district.. It would be ; a good thing for Petone-if they obtained 'control of, the foreshore from.-.the railway line to Lowry Bay. > Then an en: deavour might.be made to get.some,of the "mbiiey was.being spent- oh/'the southern part of the harbour spent ib getting some" of '' the * trade brought over to Petone, say boats of light, draught. The Hutt would,-he, thought, : be, against piecemeal amalgamation. He -. hadlived here for 20 years,'..'and he .thought .that- if it " had* been one district -even : more . progress -would have.'been made .-than : had been., ' Outside of the three or:.four- big industries ■ which .had l stood .for ; the past twenty years, practically no. new.. ones had arrived. .- If the- district .was . worked' -under one body it would induce big. industries from:. town ; to. come ,to Petone. In many cases' borough services, such as. water, -would do for .the combined !"borough;* 'He hoped the Petone Council' would, approaoh the,:" matter "in' a reasonable': 1 way, although; it' had - ap-. peared' from ! the' reports "that they -had already made up ■ their mnids. There had'.been' great; friction-: between" the "two-boroughs of late years, and, he thought it'would be" well' if this friction was removed for good- and all."': < > It ■' had < been Suggested by a newspaper j that-if the amalgamation tbok; place'thepeople ''of " the'' Hutt: would." have -to, "pay" ' for Petone' loans. " This" wais . not .correct; The loans'were' pledged 'on.'! the boroughs, and would remain distinct."' The'Hutt Would"take over! none of the Petone .loans and".vice! ; versa. , If "it "was desired by" both:-bodies "that the' loans should be consolidated and 1 discharged by both boroughs, of course, it would be done. "While; there! was "a" strong-current "of opinion ;in favour of. amalgamation, he thought "the least that could: be done was to make: full inquiry ' into the .matter, and to . decide whether amalgamation would be a good thing or a bad thing for. the'district.'' " ■ *-: . ' 'The .'Maybr' pf Petone. . (Mr. M'Ewan) outlined':the position.! as it would stand if "amalgamation was- decided on! .One question: to"be faced, after! .the r necessary formalities' had-.been covered' would bq whetfier.';the' bbrbugh!should''be split up, intb.'.wards"'or;"n6t-; * .The 'Mayor'.of 'the largest": of the boroughs would be the Mayor ,of the . united boroughs, and; the Mayor of > the absorbed, borough 'vrould, take . his . seat' as a -.- councillor V,*until the. next election. ■ Councillor Short'would not say whether he, was in favour,, of "amalgamation or not; He thought the * movement. was premature. • Before the. question, of amalgamation with a sister borough was discussed they! should .- know what encumbrances the Hutt Borough had-. . The Hutt should, also absorb the-Eiver Board.' There were many things to bo said ;,,in" . fay- , our, i of.-", amalgamation, ~ and one .was :!!,question i.pf ;■:- tho,-. foreshore. If„. ; the -foreshore 'belonged to' the borough, the' district would, be a good deal' more prosperous. Ho was .not op,posed to amalgamation and was prepared ,to listen to any,arguments! for it." If a. special committee was setup it shoiild.be .one of experts, who could put the position so-that il. could, be "understood.; ,

, Councillor .Macaskill'. thought; amalgamation" should"be' given .'effect ■ to.; It' was really. eSrtraordihary;-' that, there" 'shonldbe:eo many email bodies' in the 1 valley. He agreed -that the Hutt Counoil should take control of the Eiver Board; and if this was done oner stumbling, block, would ,be out of the way. ' He x»nld!!not see that the district could do better ■ than to wprk 1 unitedly for. -'the. one cause—the good- ■of the Hutt Valley." The Hutt had'iiot oome .to gain anything in particular for, itself, but rather-to'try by. uieir scheme.to benefit the district . A committee should be.set "up to 6ee, exactly, what burden," if. any, the Hutt ,w;ould pjix on the shoulders of -Petone! if. amalgamation- -vyas. agreed.to.- : OovndUar Clere pointed out that, there would ,be ecoiiomy, in -the woricing of-two boroughs -as one. Ho could; not,agree with. Mr....Short'that-,the . time 'was. • pre. - mature,for amalgamation..' The Hutt and Petone., were -both only villages at 'pre-. Sect, aid. he looked to, the. tiMe when, the present population of :10,000 in the Valley would-be 30,000. .The:saving.in the work-, ing machinery of the two- boroughs as one would be a. considerable item; He was in favonx. of a .committee' being-set up to go iirto the matter •, ; ; The Hayor !of Petone: eaid;.then),were •two ways open, one of ha,vii£ enlarge borough and the second of.specialisation. He favoured, the" small; bprough .'and', specialisation." 'He' Muld iibt.see-'.what..,was ; to 'be gdned by - amalgamation , when one main body had,, to'; control; so'.many small bodies. There, were many advantages of having tuo- 6mall boroughs... ;As 'to. the, cheapness mentioned>by Councillor, Clere, he could only say that a large municipality could not' be run cheaper than two small ones. There" wpuld' be .no-"saving if amalgamatfim took place. ■ He favoured ■an extension', of the Petone.,boundaries up to Belmont. ■ - .

. Af-ter' spme further • discussion the meeting. adjourned. " It is doubtful whether •any 'definite result, will: pwne'out; of "the conference." |■" ,-'