GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 197, 17 February 1912, Page 8

GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH.

THE HURWORTH RIDING. COMMISSIONER'S FINDINGS,

The report containing the findings o{ the commission set up to adjudicate upon the proposal to amalgamate a certain area of the Taranaki County, in the shape of a portion of the Hurworth riding, with the New Plymouth Borough Council, has now come to hand. , The report, which is signed by the late Mr. W. Armstrong (as Commissioner of Crown Lands) and Mr. D. Craig (District Valuer), recommends that the proposals be given effect to. The next step is that the Minister of Internal Affairs will appoint a returning officer and fix a date for the taking of a poll on the question of the proposed amalgamation.

THE NEW TERRITORY DEFINED. A glance at the plan which accompanieß the report shows that the area which the commissioners have decided as suitable for municipal control, is bounded on the east by the Henui river, from the borough boundary to within about 20 chains north of the Henui bridge on the Avenue road; thence on the south by, a Kig-zag line to a point about five chains south of the junction of the 3?rooklands and Carrington roads. From there it runs to the back of Doralto road; thence traversing Govett avenue for a portion of its distance; thence west to the junction of 'Frankley road and Veale road; thence by a, zig-zag line to the western , boundary of the Hurworth riding; and. thence along this 5 boundary until its junction with the St. Aubyn town district. The commissioners have cut out from the original plan a large area in the vicinity of the Frankley Road School. It is gratifying to note that it includes the whole of Frankleigh Park,. The most thickly-populated portion of VVestown is also embraced by the new district.

Outlining the reasons which influenced them in their decision, the commissioners touch upon the fact that suburban settlement has taken place at Vogeltowh on the Carrington road, Frankleigh Park on the Frankley road, and at Westown on the Elliott road; and further that the petitioners in these and adjoining arean desirq amalgamation with the borough of New Plymouth for the purpose of obtaining water supply, electric lighting, tramways, and also that the roads and footpaths may be better formed and maintained. 1 The commissioners add: "The electric light and water supplies already pass down Avenue and Carrington roads, this being necessary to tap the borough from the sources of supply, but being in the county the residents in that locality are charged a greater rate than they wbuld pay if the area were part of the borough.

"A NATURAL COMMUNITY OF INTEREST."

Tnc remainder of the area is not yet benefited by the electric light and water (supply. Frankleigh Park, howevey, could bo connected from Carrington road, only half a mile distant, and buildings on the Elliott road are near the borough boundary and extend along that road to town. All I;hese inhabited portions have a natural community of interest with ,the borough, and could be better administered if under municipal control. . CLOSER SETTLEMENT. : * "The intervening land' between the above-mentioned settlements and roads, although mostly not yet build upon, would be greatly enhanced in value as the adjoining lands are improved, by footpaths, water supply, electric lighting, etc., and it is therefore reasonable to expect the owners to contribute part of the. cost of installation, etc. This land, although at present only used for farming purposes, comprises areas for the most part eminently suitable for suburban residences, and could be better administered by the borough than by the County Council." THE EXCLUDED PORTION.

The commissioners conclude: "We have excluded the area south of tne Queen boundary (shown on the plan), owing to its distance from the borough, as we consider that the land excluded would not at present derive any advantage from the Borough Council; and we are further of the opinion that the area we recommend to be merged in the borough will provide sufficient room for expansion for many years to come."