ONLY UNCONDITIONAL AMALGAMATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 175, 14 October 1927, Page 9

ONLY UNCONDITIONAL AMALGAMATION

ROSKILL AND CUT WHETHER the city would accept Mount Roskill unconditionally, or whether it would agree to conditions, was a question debated by the City Council iast evening. The decision was that amalgamation must be unconditional. The Mount Roskill Amalgamation Committee asked the council whether it would accept amalgamation with conditions including: (1) The spending of the stone-crusher fund, £4,800, on a public hall and library. (2) A vote to be taken to raise £83,000 for roads in the district. (3) The area to be constituted ti special rating area, rating on unimprovement for thx*ee years. (4) The sum necessary for tram extensions to be included in city loan proposals. The Mayor. Mr. G. Baildon, said the only suggestion he could rrfake was that the unimproved rating should be continued on a basis which would allow a change if Mount Roskill wanted to alter it. Cr. Allum said the people in the district had just adopted a new system of rating, anu naturally 'wanted to see how it worked. They w r ould have to undertake any Liability for loans in their own district, and they w’oitld have to accept their share of the remote possibility of a rate for tram extensions to their district. Cr. S. I. Crookes remarked that he had that day been dealing with rates on unimproved and city systems, and the city system was the cheaper. Cr. G. Knight remarked that Grey Lynn had been very pleased when it passed the period, of unimproved rating, that had been stipulated when Grey Lynn amalgamated. “Unless we stick to the ‘unconditional’ principle we are being unfair to our citizens, I'’ 1 '’ remarked Cr. E. J. Phelan. “It is possible for these bodies to undertake all sorts of liabilities and when they feel like it come into the city. The time will arrive when the city will have to have a vote on whether it will take them in.” He moved that the amalgamation must be unconditional, the council agreeing to the hall and tram loan proposals. Cr. Allum suggested that the conditions imposed meant nothing of any serious moment. The Mayor’s suggestion left the way open to the rating to be changed at Mount Roskill’s option. It was a new toy, but he was sure they would soon be as anxious to get rid of it as Grey Lynn was. The amendment was carried.