COUNTY CLERKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 10

COUNTY CLERKS.

LOCAL BODY CONTROL.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT,

The annual meeting of the Auckland district branch of the New Zealand Institute of County Clerks was held yesterday, the president of the branch, Mr. E. A. Mahoney, presiding. Mr. F. H. Hudson, president of the Dominion Institute, In his address, urged members to keep in view the necessity of preserving the democratic principle of local control, which has been the subject of considerable thought and discussion in Britain and the Dominion, particularly in the post-war years and during the period of economic adversity. It had been claimed that New Zealand hatl built up the finest system of local body government in the world. This was doubtless true, as the local body system of government in the Dominion -was based on the elective principle and the members of the local ( bodies were chosen by the people who had to provide revenue or live in therespective localities for which they chose their representatives. At the same time there "was room for improvement, and local body officers were urged to do their utmost in this direction and to keep abreast of the changing conditions.

The following officers were elected:— President, Mr. E. A. Mahoney; vicepresident, Mr. H. Lewis; executive committee, Messrs. G. H. Smith, C. A. Cawkwell, T. Grant and A. Jenkinson; lion, secretary, Mr. E. Ashcroft; lion, auditor, Mr. E. G. Aicken.

It was decided to forward a remit to the Dominion Institute suggesting that associate members should be permitted to hold office in the provincial branches, and a recommendation was also made that local authorities should press for a revision of the Rating Act.

A committee was appointed to compile a list of anomalies in the Act and to make suggestions for the collection of rates generally and the removal of difficulties which have become apparent in recent years.