GREATER WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 289, 31 August 1920, Page 6

GREATER WELLINGTON

MIRAMAR COMES IN

AMALGAMATION WITH CITY CARRIED

:.A:ne'w epoch in the history, of Mira-aiar-.ra practically initiated yesterday, w.icn the ratepayers of the borough de-' ciclod by poll to amalgamate with the Citlvof*WelliiiKtou, thus extending (he metropolitan area out to the Heads, to the. south-east, and to that lino marked by..tho<.'snores of the western side of the entrance to tho harbour and the eastern shore-lino of Evans Bay. Tho voting was as follows;— , For amalgamation ,ut Against amalgamation 297 Details of the voting are as under:— For. Against. Concert Chamber 78 43 . Masonic Hall, Seatoun 132 119,' Worser Bay .39 25 Mirnuiar Fire Station 95 110 .341 297 The poll wag o disappointingly small one.- TJiero were over 1800 names of ratepayers on the roll, ,nnd only Gil of them'' were interested enough to record their votes on tho momentous issue h'<*foro the borough. The actual population of Miramar is about HOW).'

Tho whole of tho peninsula of Miramar, as well as tho isthmus between Evans and Lynll Bays, was acquired bv thß late Captain Coutts. Crawford in IfEW. and up till a quarter of a century asm was still owned by the sons, Messrs. A. £ and H. D, Crawford, save for an isolated section here and there, and n few week-end whares at Worser Bay and Sejtoun. Later years saw a gradual development; at first under the aegis of the Seatoun Eoad Board, and later, since 1904, under the _ Miramar Borough Council To-day Miramar is a thriving district with a great potential future. All the elements of healthy growth mns lm Beon on Miramar flat (which extends for . a mile and a half between tho tw» ridges of hills which follow tho coastline), and Seatoun—the terminus of tho tramway line—is ono of Wellincton's most favoured suburban townships. The acreage of Miramar Borough _ is 2254, which includes the lands occupied by tho Wellington Gag Company, the Miramar Golf' Club. Scots College, and the site'of St. Patrick's College of the future. Tho configuration of tho land at the extreme north and south of the borough is vary hilly, but the northern end of tlih Peninsula, held tho Government as a Pefence .Jteserye, projects into tho centra of the harbour, and is admirably suit able for teidential building.

• The inclusion of Mlramar in the citv makes it the third borough to becomo amalgamated with the city in the lost twelve months, and will mat© Wellington the largest metropolitan area in New . Zealand. • The procedure now to be followed is for .the Borough Council to wport to rJi« Actinff-Governor-in-Council the result of the poll, and to request him to proclaim, .by special order, the Boroughs of Jliramar and Wellington to bo one boroush. 'At the same time the Acting-Governnr-in-Cbuncil will decide tho date on which such amalgamation will take- effect— probably on a date towards th« end of September. STATEMENT BY THE MAYORi v In/announcing the result of the poll to ratepayers and others assembled aiV the power houso, the Mayor of Miramar (Mr. .S. M. Stone), who has been , a etronjr'-.opponont of amalgamation, said he had'recognised that amalgamation had, to. v cpme some day, though ho had believed, j -and| did still believe, thati the time" was not yet ripe. He thanked those who stood behind the council at the poll, and signified his willingness to continue;'to act for the Iwrougli.. Ho _ -intended to give to the affaiiß.of Mira,mar the-eame care a,nd attention as he had 'given' in the past. •'".Councillor E. J. Barnetfc called' for .»-. cheers' for Mr. Stone, and these were heartily gi/veu. .