GREATER AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 141, 15 June 1911, Page 4

GREATER AUCKLAND.

AaaaJriiAMATiojr-- musf- come THE GO\ _B2JOR'S" OPKIOX. Some highly- interesting remarks were made- by his Excellency the" Governor '(L©rd-feKrigtDh) : at feh'e ; Cßamber of Commerce dinner, lastnight, relative to the growth of Auckland, and the important question of amalgamation of local bodies.In" the-nea-r future, said his Excellency, he hoped to visit for the purpose Of opening, the new-.Tovrn. Hall. When completed, that building 1 wOuld rank amongst the finest" institutions Of the kind- in- New- Zealand. With - the , growth of -Auckland as a. pity came added responsibilities, and- much would depend upon the ability and foresight of their administrators. There 'were -questions of the .public health; housing, roading* and rapid and efficient city transport. And so, at no distant date, continued Lord Islington, there would have- to he a readjustment of the area of- administration in the city of Auckland. Difficulties- would arise, local prejudices would have to be fought dpVfffi But the same task had had to be faced by. every city in the Empire haying a similar record of progress and development, for in the course of his experience he. had learnt that only by unificaT tion could the public services be con? ducted upon lines of efficiency and economy,

The Mayor (Mr. C, J. Parr) said. New Zealand was, indeed, fortunate in having as its- vice-regal representative one who had. such a distinguished record, in re* gard. to administrative hiatters. as Lord Islington, and he appreciated liis' Excellency's advocacy ;..o"f> the--Greater Auckland roheme. • It 'really savoured- of comic , opera that on this narrow isthgius.'of outs 20 local bodies 1 ' 'were engaged in doing what one strong, lOcal body ; shpuld do. . Already, as.Mayor, he found himself hampered at every turn by this multiplicity of administrative bodies; Lord .Islington had seen this problem worked out in the" Old Land as we.would hh.v'e'fp..work_it put here; but he was already .indebted-, ~io. the Governor, for many helpful suggestions tha£.he-had..made in .regard, to city administration.- Auckland,added. MrPaTr.had embarkedon a new era in connection with the administration, of local affair*,jn ,that_ younger men were being entrusted -with important p6sitions~in regard to municipal, harbour, and education matters, and he thought! they were making no mistakV, "as the young men of Auckland were "inevitable optimists," with a great belief in the future of their city. (Applause.) V