NEW MUNICIPALITY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 691, 6 September 1876, Page 3

NEW MUNICIPALITY.

A largely attended meeting of householders and ratepayers in the districts of Waltham, Newtown, and Addington, was held last evening at the Colombo road schoolroom, to consider resolutions framed at a preliminary meeting, to constitute the above suburbs a municipality. Mr B. Reece was moved to the chair, and safd he understood that Mr Restell was to have presided that evening. In the unavoidable absence of that gentleman, he had consented to take the chair, and would ask Mr Allison to move the first resolution.

Mr Allison said that, as one of those persons who had moved in this matter, he had been asked to move the following resolution:—^“That it is desirable that the suburban districts situated on the south of the city of Christchurch should be constituted a borough, under the Municipal Corporations Act.” He was a member of the provisional committee who had taken the action which had resulted in the present meeting. For a long time past he had felt the necessity for a southern municipality being formed, if only for the sake of the health of the inhabitants of the districts on that side of the railway line. It had been found by some few persons who had considered this matter, that possibly the Government would not have allowed them to form themselves into a separate Road Board district, and as under the new Act municipalities were likely to be better treated than formerly, it would be, it was felt, the best course to form themselves into one. Some people believed that the better course would have been to annex themselves to the Christchurch municipality, but, as he had seen, not more than four weeks ago, that the City Council had decided that they could not form a much required street in the northern part of the city, he did not think the district would gain anything by uniting with that Council, whose action, which he had alluded to, could not be considered, after their long existence, very creditable, so far at least as the management of the streets was concerned; and possibly, if they became annexed to the city, they might find themselves similarly treated with regard to some of their streets, and their sanitary condition worse even than at present under the Road Boards. The rateable property in the Spreydon and Heathcote districts, as per the rolls compiled up to August, 1875, was £23,605, and the number of inhabitants 5225, or about one-half the population of the city. The speaker read a statement of receipts and expenditure of the Spreydon and Heathcote Road Boards up to 31st December, 1875, whicn showed that under the management of a borough £llß4 17s 9d would be saved, to expend on general improvements. The estimated nosition of the proposed borough would be —Receipts, rates. Is in £ on £23,505, £1175; Government grant, £ for £ raised, £1175; dog fees, 360 at 10s, £180; publicans’ licenses, £IOO ; fines, &c, £SO. Total—£26Bo. ExpenditureRoads, as last year, £719 5s 3d ment expenses, £IOO ; charitable aid, £2OO ; purchase of plant, &c, £3OO ; balance for other work, £IO6O 14s 9d. Total—£26Bo. Mr Allison then dwelt on the advantages which the residents would enjoy from a sanitary and other views if a Municipality were formed, as money could be borrowed to extend over many years—a power Road Boards did not possess. He also showed that the expenses would be considerably smaller in proportion with improvements if the borough were constituted, and instanced Lyttelton, Kaiapoi, and some suburban municipalitiesiu Dunedin. Mr Allison read several letters which he had received on this question, among others from Mr J. T. Fisher and Mr E. O. J. Stevens, approving of the 'step about to be taken to form the districts into a municipality. He (Mr Allison) trusted in conclusion that unless some of the ratepayers had better reasons to bring forward than he had yet heard against the proposed step being taken, the residents would use their best elforts to have this desired result accomplished. Mr Andrews seconded the resolution, and referred to the action of the City Council in the year 1875 to have the suburbs south of the city annexed After reading the published reports of resolutions and remarks made by councillors at the time with reference to the extension of the city boundaries, Mr Andrews referred to the application by that Council to the Provincial Government for a grant of £IIO,OOO without one single pound being put downtor any of the suburbs, and they (the Council) simply desired to extend the boundaries of the city foijthe simple purpose of compelling the suburbs to bear the burdens of their expenditure in improving the city proper. After instancing the progress made by the boroughs surrounding Melbourne, Mr Andrews said he knew the residents of the southern suburbs would not consent to join Christchurch, and as they could not long remain under the Road Boards, he would ask them to heartily support the resolution.' [Applause.] After several speakers had addressed the meeting in support of the resolution, Mr J. W. Treadwell moved, as an amendment—’‘That a permanent committee of seven persons be chosen by this { meeting, this committee to act as a deputation to the Eastern and Northern suburbs to take steps to form a new city, to be called—say Sydenham, and to obtain a subsidy, in land and money, of about £250,000, in order to carry out the following plan : —‘ Seven square miles of suburbs to be taken up, street building forbidden beyond the boundary—1. To open roads through the new city. 2 To make them. 3. To carry out police, post, fire brigade, drains, gas, &c, buildings. 4. To absorb the Drainage Board, and to buy up Gas Company. 5. To build suitable offices, yards, dec, 6, To get suitable machinery, plant, &c.’ 11

Mr Shierlaw seconded the amendment, and considered the resolution premature at the present time. Mr Nairn and Dr Frankish dwelt at length on the advisableness of forming the proposed municipality, the latter gentleman pointing out how necessary it was that some immediate action should be taken in the drainage of the district, as he had attended more cases of low fever there than in any other place, and he had never seen more disgraceful roads anywhere than during last winter he saw in the lower part of Waltham and in Newtown. On being put, three hands only weie held up for the amendment, and the resolution was declared to be carried amid loud applause. Mr J. Whitelaw moved borough comprise the districts at present known as Waltham, Newtown, and Addington, situated and bounded as follows, viz:— By a line commencing at the intersection of roads known as Wilson’s road and the Ferry road, and starting from thencealong the Ferry road in a westerly direction to the Bast town belt of the city of Christchurch ; thence along the said belt to the South town belt of the said city, and from thence westerly along the said belt to the Lower Lincoln road, to a road known as Bright’s road ; from thence in a south and easterly direction along Bright’s road, and roads known as Windmill road, Colombo road, and Piper’s road, to the River Heathcote ; thence along the south bank of the said river to Wilson’s bridge, and from thence northerly along Wilson’s road to the starting point.” The resolution was seconded and carried unanimously. Mr Allison proposed—“ That the borough be named Sydenham.” Mr Nairn seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr J. Whitelaw moved—“ That the provisional committee be requested to take charge of the necessary petition and carry out any other measures that may be necessary to give effect to the foregoing resolutions.” Mr Henderson seconded the resolution, which was declared to be carried, A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.