REGIONAL PLAU SCHEMES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24982, 17 September 1946, Page 8

REGIONAL PLAU SCHEMES

MINISTER WANTS COUNCILS QUESTION OF EXPENSBS RAISED The view that the Canterbury J®, gional Council and the Canterbm Progress League should come understanding to remove the tyrtaTZ ratepayers twice was made bv ihe Minister of Works (the Semple) yesterday when the council appealed to him for financial ance to enable it to retain Mr ■ Davies as organising secretary, ' Ift S Semple promised to investigate ■ possibility of the retention by W council of Mr Davies, who is ondor If instruction to return to the RphatfL B tation Department. n ' ‘ I s A progress report on the work of the ■ council was given by its chairman (Mr B J. E. Strachan). The council W*W hoped that material | would be subordinated to «ome definite I end which would be big and inspirit m enough to ensure the whnl»uSSSf' support of the community. many of the basic services had a® to be completed, the council had sootributed quite a lot, and Mr Dsvi« had done admirable work. Qtfcy - members of the council and committees had given their service voluntarily, not claiming even trawl* ling expenses. The council bad »• proached local bodies, which, he hel to confess, were not educated edL ciently in regional planning, and lad given little encouragement for the re tention of the full-time officer. council wanted to know whether the Minister wished it to carry no, asd how much he wished it “We are at the c’-oss-roadJTifer* said Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon. The cm- f cil had no money, and the ' ary work vzas a full-sized man’s Job It seemed a pity that Mr Davies £. to be taken away. Unless Mr Dem could be retained the council wouM have to stop. Mr F. Coop said that at least a year was necessary for the cotacil’s continuance, but local bookt would not agree to paying 75 per cart. Mr Davies said 80 per cent erf flrf local bodies approached had, wifi) tire exceptions, felt that there was ■ lapping of the activities of the » I gional council and the hBmKI League, and were not prepared to »• S crease their rates. £ Mr Sample said his personal con« S gratulations were extended council for the work done. The B gional councils must stay, other*® H the whole scheme of planning wouM ■ not be effective. The councils had » B be a kind of bulwarks for the SCMM S Thev had to do the investigating, K commending, and co-ordinating, anc B be an advisory body to the Govera- ■ ment on all matters. The unammoß B acceptance of the 10-year plans ill B oyer the country gave him the ■ sion that thev were something the H people wanted. Regional councils g were necessary to get complete co-J; S dination among local anthoritiesgw ■ for the selection of nriority jobs. Wi®* out them the planning would not IW* ceed. “You can take it from me, I ing to stand four square for W tinuation of regional councils Mr Semple. “How they are to be• ft anced I am not prepared to say « W moment. I am going to deal the nronerly constituted regW«"“ councils.” Mr Semple said he would question of payment of council cials with the Government ano JR hoped that Mr Davies would re®*® with the council.