LOCAL BODIES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20316, 15 August 1931, Page 14

LOCAL BODIES.

. { STATE INTERFERENCE, j i ALLEGATION IN HOUSE. j [Fkom Otii Parliamentary Reporteu.J j WELLINGTON, August 14. The tendency of the Government to over-ride local bodies in the administration of local affairs was criticised bv Mr W. W. Massey CK., Ilauraki) in his maiden speech in the House to-day, when speaking on the proposed new heavy motor vehicle regulations. The result of the regulations if enforced would, he said, be to increase the cost of control of roads to local bodies and place heavier burdens on the already harassed country ratepayers. One of the greatest difficulties under which the farmer laboured to-day, lie said, was tho burden of local rates, and every effort should be made to ease rather than to intensify that burden and so offset in some way the tremendous set-back suffered through, tho fall in produce prices. Perhaps the most important provission in the regulations, and one which local bodies viewed with some concern, was the over-riding power which the Minister for Transport held over local bodies regarding the condition and weight of vehicles and the classification of roads. Certain powers which were given to the Minister for Public Works purely for tho purpose of validating an anomaly in the law had been used by the Minister for Transport in a general way, Mr Massey continued, and considerable irritation had been caused local bodies as a result. Local bodies had in the past found, it necessary to take power allowing them to prohibit certain classes of vehicles on certain roads. This had preserved weak roads from extraordinary traffic, and had assisted in checking the operations of a class of driver that would make tho roads unusable. The new regulations gave this power to local bodies only with the consent of the Minister. Speed of Heavy Vehicles. j Mr Massey criticised the increased i speeds allowed for heavy vehicles, which local authorities considered far too high. "It requires little imagination," lie said, "for the Government to recognise that weight combined with speed will have a detrimental effect j upon roads in various counties throughout the country, and if this particular regulation is allowed to come into force local bodies will be • faced with an increasingly difficult problem. There' seems to be a growing tendency on , the part of the Ministry of Transport to interfere with local body administration and to take unto itself full , control'of all side roads whether they are highways or county roads. The Government is in effect dictating upon 1 rhe standard of construction of these roads and, what is more important, it is taking the right to call upon local bodies to provide the extra money. Country ratepayers are having a bad time, and I believe the Government * should show its good faith with them by keeping down so far as possible I the cost of administration, instead of . imposing -harsh restrictions and heavy " demands upon them." j Mr Massey's speech was interrupted i by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment, when he ; had been speaking for 25 minutes. ' | The new member was congratulated I by his colleagues, and received a round of applause from all Parties in the House for what was regarded as a . creditable maiden effort. If he so , chooses Mr Massey will be able to , speak for 35 minutes when the House 1 resumes on Tuesday, but in view of his ■ appeal in his opening remarks for short J. speeches and useful ones, particularly ~ during a national crisis, he will prob--7 ably occupy a very little time with his I { concluding remarks.