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MUNICIPAL ANOMALIES.
Applications for Revisions.
Inequality of Wards.
Councillors and ratepayers alike Rrimit
that a resuMivision of the wards in Him
tborn miinicipalily ia ncccssnry, but there
is ii difTcrcuce of opinion as to how Hie
nuMivision should be carried out. In
September, 1023, the Auburn Progress As
sociation made a proposal Hint . in extra
wiird be provided, but tliin did not meet
with tho approval of Ihra council. There
wpvp c.pitflin rfolttVfl nnd in iVift Ynrtant.'mo
the Auburn nud South Auburn progress
associations prepared a echxmc of reMiV--
division of fhe four wardo, uud obtained
something like 340O names to a petition
asking tho Minister of Public Works to
alter the boundaries.
KeprcfientativeR of the petitioners and
aluo of the'comicil'mot the Minister yes
lerday.
Speaking on behalf of the petitioners,
Mr. Lewis said the present words had
been in existence over 30 years. He gave
a resume of the negotiations between the
progress associations ami the council.
Under the scheme submitted by the asso
ciations tbe position vrpiild be iih fol
lows:— Yarra Ward: Annual valuation,
£I2(M-t8; population, 851D. .Glenferric,
£118,6,12; population, SOfiO. ? Auburn,
£1011,112; population, 7(M7. South Ward:
Valuation, £82,202; population, .WtS.^The
council's chief scheme of Hulidivieion would
provide the following: — Yarra W:ird:
Valuation, £110,041; population, T.133.
Glcnferrie: Valuation, £117,013;'; popula
tion, S033. Auburn: Valuation, £!S,02fi;
population, 612;!. South Ward: Valuation,
£109,\7fi; population, 7845. Auburn bail
over 3000 ratepayers on the roll, the largest
of the other wards being loss than 1500.
The Minister: ]t is a. great pity you
could not settle tin'? matter between your
selves. There docs not seem to be much
difference.
Mr. M'Clelland said tlie Auburn ward
paid more rates than any other two wards.
This was against British justice, which
ttood for representation in accordance
with tnxad'nn.
Other Hponkers supported the petition.
On behalf of the council the mayor, Cr.
Righy, admitted there was an inequality
which should be remedied, but tho ques
tion mm the best method. The council
nnd the pingretie associations worked o«
amicable terms, but, the dilh'culty iu this
fuse was that the petitiouers had com
mitted theniRclvcK to one scheme. The
main need was to obtain equal valuation
and community of interest. Although
Auburn ward only had three representa
tives in the council there were six of tho
councillor*^ living in the ward, and the
ward obtained a fair percentage of tho
expenditure. He contended tho subdi
visions proposed by the petitioner* would
brine about further anomalies?. He sug
gested that the petition be refused and
that the council aud associations confer
together and agree on a proposal.
The Minister said he thought the ques
tion was one for the expert ofricer.i of
the council, aa any decision was farreach
ing, and it would be a pity if anything
wore done that afterward* proved ;i mis
take. He did not like the proposal for
the subdivision of Glcnferrie ward, the
nrou being divided in a peculiar way. TJV.
would ro fully into tho matter. Probably
the need of the deputation would' havo
been obviated had the council and the
association discussed the matter more
freely -ono with tho other.
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