Mount Roskill Amalgamation

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 172, 11 October 1927, Page 13

Mount Roskill Amalgamation

DEPUTATION TO MAYOR CONDITIONS SUGGESTED Pressing the case for Mount Roskill amalgamation with the city of Auckland a deputation of ratepayers in the Road Board district waited on the Mayor of Auckland at noon and put some suggestions before him. The amalgamationist petition, said Mr. J. W. Shackleford, who led the deputation, had been freely signed. Th© signatures of 466 had been verified, which was 20 per cent, of the 2,300 ratepayers on the roll as against the 10 per cent, required before a poll could be taken. People were very interested and a large number were in favour of joining. Residents were recognising the value of amalgamation. They looked on the extension of the tramways system westward as one of the greatest needs of the district. The committee meeting held in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday had unanimously decided to submit the following conditions or suggestions to the Mayor. The conditions proposed were: 1. The sum of about £4,300 cash in hand for crusher now no longer required to be used for a public hall and library in the district. 2. That a vote be taken to raise the sum of £83,000, which is already authorised, and if it were carried, should be expended on roads in the district as originally determined by the board. 3. That Mount Roskill be constituted a special rating area, and that the rates be on the unimproved values as l'ecently resolved by vote. The proportion of rates to be as on the present areas west, east and central. The opportunity should be given of reconsidering the system of rating at the end of three years, unless the city has in the meantime resolved to rate on the unimproved system. 4. That the sum necessary for tram extensions on the Mount Eden and. Dominion Roads be included in loan proposals to be taken for other city extensions. 5. That the Mayor and councillors be requested to address meetings in the district on the advantages of amalgamation. In supporting Mr. Shackleford,. Mr. G. T. Tansley said that Mount Roskill was a splendid district to offer itself for amalgamation. It was twice as large as Mount Albert and four times as large as Mount Eden. It had every advantage, but badly lacked transport service. Mr. George Winstone also briefly supported the deputation, and Mr. A. Roberts, of the Mount Roskill Ratepayers’ Association, attended in a noncommittal role. In reply the Mayor said that the council had decided to deal with every offer of amalgamation on the merits of the case and he would bring the question before it. When Grey Lynn joined the city it had retained rating on unimproved values for some years, but all parties had been glad when the system went out. If the area were a special rating area th© council would have to spend money raised in the district on the district. , The council had found also in taking over road board areas that the roading was generally not up to city standard. The district would have to take the city’s word for a lot, but, said his Worship to the deputation, “You can’t point to a district that has not been fairly treated.”