THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, l882. TOWN DISTRICTS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2638, 21 September 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1882. TOWN DISTRICTS.

Thb outskirts of the city of Christchurch are beginning rapidly to realise the fact that residents in closely populated districts absolutely require some special form of government. As might have been expected, heart-burnings have arisen between those portions of road districts where houses stood thickly and those portions which still remained, as it. were, in a rural state. Road districts were not formed for centres of population, and their machinery naturally broke down under the new strain. The man of the country was always thinking that the man of the town was getting too large a share of the expenditure, and vice versa. Taking the various parts of our immediate neighbourhood into review we find that the result of all this has been the formation of'tho St. Albans Borough and the Woolston Town District, and, farther the petition for the formation of Linwood also into a Town District. But there are many arguments which might bo adduced to show that the ultimate state of affairs that will be brought about by this multiplying of Boroughs

and-- Town Districts may not be^ altogether entirely - satisfactory. Closeto ’Dunedin,- v‘ for instance, there exist at least six little boroughs, each with their own perfect machinery. There can be no doubt that the consequence of this is a considerable waste of energy. Evan supposing these Boroughs have new officers in‘ common, the instructions given to such officers must of necessity ho oecasionally conflicting. Where officers are not in .common, the case noeds no argument. Now a Town District must at least have a clerk and a foreman of works. Supposing these districts to multiply to any considerable extent about Chris'church, there can be no doubt that the general expenses of their management will, in the aggregate, be something considerable. Further, taking any district tha contemplates being formed into a Town District, it may be true enough that the residents therein have been badly treated by the Road Board. But it may well happen that, when separated,, it will be found that the difference between the money that district has been in the habit of receiving and that which it will receive under the new regime will not be sufficient to pay the salaries of the officials that have to be appointed. For our own part we should be sorry to see Christchurch surrounded by a multiplicity of boroughs and town districts. We have always argued that the best policy for out-districts in the long run would be at once to join on to the Christchurch municipality, and to be formed a ward of that municipality. The feeling that has prevented this being done baa been, we take it, that tba residents are afraid that the City Council at large will devote too large a share of the income to be derived from the new districts to the wants of the centre of the town. They think that their representatives would be swamped in the Conned, and that the just rights of their district would be overlooked. But it must be recollected that if there were several of what we may call outskirt wards in existence their cases would ba exactly similar, and jointly their representatives would have much power in the Council. Moreover, we do not think it impossible that a generalunderstanding might be come tobefora the amalgamation, to the effect that a certain proportion of the ratesshould be expended within the new ward. That the outskirts of the town benefit very considerably by the improvements in the centre of the town is very certain. If residents in the outskirts, in forming town districts and small boroughs, are actuated solely by the idea of spending none of their money in obtaining such benefits, all we can say is that the spirit is a narrow one. Besides it is very possible that, in cases, the waste of energy to which we have alluded may prove to be more expensive than the extra amonnt that would be paid for the general good. We are confident that it will be found to he much more difficult for town districts and boroughs, when once formed, to join «n to the municipality than it would be for rising districts to do so at once. Feelings and habits will be, in a short time, raised, which will render any future amalgamation a very difficult matter indeed. Residents who have participated in the government of a borough or town district will naturally cling to the power they have obtained,. and be unwilling to relinquish it. Those who have not gained such honors will see the coveted posts in a small district more easy of attainment than when merely one man has to be elected as a councillor for the ward. If the inconvenience, therefore, of a number of small boroughs surrounding Ohistcburch, is to be ultimately avoided, the sooner attention is drawn to the matter the better. A little foresight will see that, not many years hence, a very large area far larger than Christchurch itself—will ba densely covered with houses. For such a town to be split up, and to be governed by a number of local bodies, would ba a decided misfortune. The waste of energy would be enormous, but the evil would then be difficult to remedy, simply because of the local feelings that would have grown up. The new Borough of St. Albans and the new Town District of Woolston are both good in their way, and will serve many useful purposes, but we think a most excellent way might ho pointed out, and that thetrue policy of the inhabitants in the outskirts of the town is to join on as soon as possible to the City of Christchurch. The weight and power of that City would be immensely increased, and all sections of the community would ba benefited thereby.