GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 255, 27 April 1912, Page 4

GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH

AMENDED ST. AUBYN PROPOSALS. A CONCILIATORY SPIRIT. Ever S "w> iiie rejection of the firit piujjuscil soiiii.' weeks ago, renewed agitation has been 011 loot, in connection with' the Greater New Plymouth scheme. t« amalgamate the St. Aubyn Town District with the borough. Negotiations are now coming to a head: In view of the strained relations between the St. Auby* Town Board and the Borough Council, Mr. Okey, M.P., coifsented to act as aa intermediary between the two parties, and his efforts have been on the lines of again submitting the amalgamation proposals, only in au amended form. The idea now is to take in Moturoa in coujunction with the town district. The rejected proposal only included an area which ended at Bayly road. If the borough is to put down trams it will want to go right down to the Breakwater. By taking in Moturoa it can do this without going to the trouble of promoting a local Bill, as would be necessary if the trams traversed the streets of an outside body. As the position at present stands, the Act does not allow a second poll to be taken in St. Aubyn oh the Greater New Plymouth proposals, in respect to the Bamc area, until two yeari have passed. THE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL. An alternative proposal, however, ha* been proposed by Mr. Okey—not by reducing the original area, as was suggested in some quarters. His proposal is te add to the area by including Moturoa in the amalgamation scheme. It is understood that both bodies are agreeable to the proposal. The Borough Council »et Mr. Okey in a very fair spirit, and virtually agreed to hold over all the resolutions recently passed affecting the St. Aubyn district. One of these dealt with the electric light changes, which it was proposed to increase. This was to have come into operation on May Ist, but tho borough has decided to shelve it until August Ist, so as to again give St. Aubyn a chance of coming under its jurisdiction. COURSE NOW CLEAR.

The course is now clear. By advertisement a meeting of the electors of St. Aubyn and of Moturoa is being convened for next Monday night "to consider a report from Mr.' Okev, M.P., in connection with the question of amalgamating with the borough of New Plymouth." A petition in favor of the suggested amalgamation has been drawn up, and if the meeting is favorable to the schem# it will be circulated for signature in tht» room.