One Tree Hill’s Growth

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 889, 5 February 1930, Page 8

One Tree Hill’s Growth

WANTS TO BE BOROUGH

ONE TREE HILL’S claims to the raising of its status from a road district to a borough were advanced last evening by members of the One Tree Hill Road Board at a meeting of ratepayers at Penrose.

The address was the first of a series. Tomorrow evening ratepayers will be addressed at Ranfurly Road; on Monday, at Green Lane; and on Tuesday, at Gardner Road. Introducing Mr. I. J. Goldstine, the speaker of the evening, Mr. J. Hardwick, chairman of the board, explained that the change in status could be made only by vote of ratepayers. The poll in question would take place on Wednesday, February 12. Outlining the history of the movement, Mr. Goldstine said the board had gone into the question exhaustively, and the time for the change was now undoubtedly opportune. A petition circulated in the district in connection with the proposal had carried only a percentage of signatures because only one-fifth of the ratepayers had to sign such a petition. A commission, presided over by Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., sat on December 12 in Auckland, and recommended the change to the Governor-General after a full inquiry. Mr. Hewitt, indeed, had expressed surprise to the speaker that One Tree Hill had remained a road district so long. FEWER ROAD DISTRICTS Tile district was constituted a road district in 1873, when it was purely a rural area. There were then 320 road districts in New Zealand. Now there were 19. There were today 119 boroughs and cities in New Zealand, and only 20, principally in the North Island, had more population than One Tree Hill. In 1928, only 13 cities and boroughs issued building permits more valuable than One Tree Hill’s. The latest annual receipts for the 19 road districts represented £124,000, the three road areas of Auckland taking £95,000, and One Tree Hill. £56,725 of the total. The payments for the 19 districts were £130,000; for Auckland’s three districts. £103,000 and, for One Tree Hill, £63,000. Mr. Goldstine submitted that the Road Boards Act, which the Government refused to amend even when suggestions were advanced by the member for the district had not been intended to apply to modern conditions. Under the modern Municipal Corporations Act, One Tree Hill would benefit administratively and financially, with no increase in the costs of carrying out the work and definitely no rise in rates, which, with greater revenue, would tend to decrease. As a road board, seven clear days were needed to call a board meeting no matter how urgent the question; only two days were required by a borough council. In the event of an

extraordinary vacancy on the board, the ratepayers weje forced to go to the expense of an election within two weeks of an ordinary election; in a borough, such an election need not take place within six months from the ordinary election. At the present, grave errors could take place in subdivision; a borough had power to supervise such plans. One Tree Hill could not prosecute in speed complaints because the limit for road districts was 35 miles an hour; for boroughs it was 25. In road boards ratepayers in arrears could not vote, even within 14 days of the issuing of the rate demand. In an election such as for the Auckland Transport Board, only the ratepayers of road boards could vote; all residents in boroughs could vote. FINANCIAL GAIN

Financially, the board estimated it would gain £I,OOO a year as a borough. Rates would not rise and administration would be no dearer. As a borough, One Tree Hill would be entitled to a share in the petrol tax. This for the year ended March 31, 1929, would have given One Tree Hill, on a population basis, £387. As a road district, One Tree Hill was denied a shares. Rates received under a borough status on properties now exempt would be £l6O. As a road district, One Tree Hill was paying £25 annually for a pumping station at One-, hunga. There would be no cost as a borough. Decreases in the number of elections needed as a borough would save the district £35 annually. The only set-offs would be a decrease of £SO in the Government subsidy, and a small honorarium for the Mayor. The board had no ulterior motive in the proposal, for, should it be carried, every member would go out of office and would have to stand election for the council. One Tree Hill's population was now 7,662. Its growth was evident in comparative figures for 1895, 1922 and 1929. The Government's capital valuation was respectively £167,000, £1,896,000, and £3.105,642; the annual revenue £349, £21,305 and £35,000; the number of rateable properties, 180, 1,200 and 2,700. There was no argument against the change. Last year One Tree Hill’s building permits were greater in value than those of any other Auckland suburban body.

A question asked, why New Lynn’s rates had doubled since it became a borough, Mr. R. J. Clark explained that New Lynn had adopted rating on unimproved values. A vote of thanks proposed by Mr. T. Whitehead was carried.