Avondale Makes Its Bow

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 139, 2 September 1927, Page 8

Avondale Makes Its Bow

Unit in Greater Auckland

City Council’s Enlarged Roll

-vro words of welcome were wasted when the City Council was last night notified that the proclamation joining Avondale to the city had been gazetted. “Avondale comes into the city from to-day,” was the comment of the Mayor, Mr, G. Baildon. Presumably the rest of the reception will be allowed to wait until Avondale’s councillors attend their first meeting. If further amalgamations take place, the semi-circle of councillors’ desks may swell to even more than its present imposing dimensions. Nine new and additional councillors may sit on the City Council as a result of the amalgamations of Avondale, Tamaki and Orakei, bringing the roll number of that body up to an unwieldy 31.

Now that Avondale is proclaimed part of the city the erstwhile borough is entitled to nominate three of its councillors to sit with the city fathers and it has already done so. Tamaki and Orakei are not so sure of getting three representatives on the council because they come under a different section of the Act. The size of Orakei hardly warrants the nomination of three members and neither does that of Tamaki so that the Governor-General may decide that one representative each is sufficient. NO LONGER BARRED

New Lynn, previously barred from joining the city by the fact that it did not “form one continuous area,” as required by the Act, is now legally able to do so. Avondale which stood in the way is part of the city. But the City Council may be against the amalgamation because it has declared that Greater Auckland is to be bounded by the Whau and the Tamaki Rivers. New Lynn is on the wrong side of the Whau which forms the boundary between it and the city. Should New Lynn show any inclination to “come in” the city councillors, however, might reconsider their decision. Avondale’s 3,700 acres increases the city’s area to 12,084 acres. The borough’s population is over 5,000 and the rateable improved value at the end of March was £471,000. Formally to wind up its affairs, the Avondale Borough Council last evening held a special meeting, at which news of the amalgamation was received. ‘‘VERY GOOD NEWS” When introducing the telegram, the clerk, Mr. H. Nunns, announced that it was received that afternoon. The Mayor, Mr. E. E. Copsey, remarked: Very good news. Cr. P. Wright jocularly suggested that some member move that it be received. The clerk advised that the council had no standing and consequently could not transact any business. Mr. Copsey then declared the meeting closed, C.r. Clarke remarking that it was the shortest meeting of the council on record. Members then proceeded with an impromptu function to celebrate the occasion. In proposing the toast of the Mayor, Mr. J. B. Clarke said that he was satisfied that in selecting Mr. Copsey as one of their representatives on the Auckland City Council they had a representative who would do justice to the borough. M.r. Clarke finally thanked the town clerk and staff, and the outside staff for their courtesy at all times. Mr. Copsey, in reply, expressed the view that all the people on the isthmus should be under one body. Under existing circumstances they could not get full value for their money. UNDER THREE MAYORS Mr. H. Potter conveyed his thanks to the staff for courtesies they had extended him at all times. He had been associated with three Mayors, and had worked with them with varying degrees of pleasure.

If New Lynn wanted to join the city and was allowed in, there might be 12 new councillors, but this is extending the bounds of possibility a little too far. THREE COUNCILLORS Under section 137 of the Municipal Corporations Act provision is made that when a borough joins with any of the cities Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin three members of that borough council (to be chosen by that council) shall be councillors of the united area in addition to the Mayor and city councillors. The three new members stay in office until the next biennial election at which the number of councillors assigned the area by proclamation are put into office.