MUNICIPAL GROWTH

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 139, 14 June 1943, Page 5

MUNICIPAL GROWTH

AMALGAMATION NEEDED EXPANSION OP AUCKLAND Municipal administration was Brought up during the Auckland water supply conference on Saturday by the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple, who said what lie had heard convinced him that the great need was a Greater Auckland and the abolition of petty boundaries. The smaller local bodies should be absorbed. "Surely we have reached a stage in the evolution of this country when these things ought to go,", said Mr. Semple. "It is no good indicting tne past. Little boroughs might be justified then; they are not now. This is the Queen City. Why do you not knock down the little barriers and pool your resources and brains? "I made provision for it in my bill," said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Parry. ■Mr. Semple: I know-it is the same in the counties. We get one section pulling one way and one another. Later Mr. Parry said local government should be adapted to the prospect of migration and a considerable population increase after the war. Bigger units were needed. He recalled that he had met nearly every local body in the country to discuss a bill he had prepared to facilitate amalgamations. There had been a lot of opposition, but many had changed their opinion since and some had exen-asked him to introduce the the bill again, believing that it would be more .".beneficial now than formerly,.. The-Prime Minister was unwilling-to bring forward such a controversial matter in wartime, but it might be different if the local bodies asked for it. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr. Allum, said the local bodies which purchased water from the city were very junior partners in the water enterprse, for rthey. consumed only 16 per cent pf the supply, or 24 per cent if North Shore were included. Why did they not join the. city? It was the City Council's policy to accept them, not because it wanted their help, but because it took a wider view. . ■ ■ -: :

Mr. I. J. Goldstine, One Tree Hill, urged for -.consideration that there should be a metropolitan' board to control all-essential services—bulk supply oft-water, main drainage, transport, -i power and lighting and hospital administrations The. whole question' was left "open by the conference.