COUNTY FINANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 12

COUNTY FINANCES.

THE RIDING SYSTEM. MINISTER'S SUGGESTIONS. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") • WHANGAREI, Friday. A policy of - wealthy county ridings assisting the weaker ones on the same principle as the Government assisted in the construction of backblock roads, was advocated by the Hon. A. E. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, when speaking at Kaikohe to-day. He was discussing at the time the unfairness of the operation of riding accounts in some counties. Probably as there was not so much variation in ridings in the North Auckland counties he had noticed less reference to the question he had heard in some parts of the Dominion. In Hawke's Bay and other districts the counties were wealthy, yet had some weak ridings. Consequently, they were inclined to go to the Government for assistance in respect to them. He felt it was desirable in such cases that riding finance should be put on a different footing. While he approved of riding representation he questioned very, much whether it was good business and' financing to call on each riding to bear the cost of its own roads. Mr. Ransom added that he did not wish to put forward any amendment regarding .local body legislation, unless satisfied that it would be of advantage to the counties as a whole. Therefore, he hoped to obtain later an expression of opinion from the counties on the point to which lie had referred.