Commission’s Proposal For Regional Authority

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29903, 17 August 1962, Page 13

Commission’s Proposal For Regional Authority

A regional authority extending from the Hurunui river to the Rakaia river and bounded to the west by the mountains to take over regional planning and the functions of all the ad hoc bodies in the area was proposed by the Local Government Commission yesterday when it met representatives of all the local authorities in the district.

The chairman (Mr J. B. Yaldwyn) set out the commission’s proposals, admitted that there would be some serious difficulties to be met in mergers and said something should be done to reduce the growing number of ad hoc bodies —700 at present —in the country.

New Zealand had been divided into 20 regions, he said, for each of which there was proposed an elec.ed regional authority. There was no intention to interfere with the existing territorial local bodies. The first of two main functions for the regional authorities would be to take over regional planning under the Town and Country Planning Act. Mr Yaldwyn said. "The act at present is of very little value." he said. "Some of the planning is excellent. but the enforcement of it is a different matter altogether In most cases where there is an effective regional planning authority it is composed of representatives of local bodies. There are too many masters, and if seme ideas don't appeal to one local body then, to my knowledge, those conditions are not enforced.” Mr Yaldwyn said that some of the best productive land in the country had been taken for housing. He mentioned his own area of Taita Valley, where some of the best alluvial soils in NewZealand were completelybuilt on by State houses.

"That was a crime the people of New Zealand." he said. "Wellington nowgets its vegetables stale and gets them from all over the North Island, from as far away as Auckland. We fee! it is incumbent cn us to see that this process of sterilising New Zealand's productive land ceases." Ad Hoc Bodies The second mam fuuction was to reduce the number of ad hoc bodies, he continued. From an economic point of view there should be amalgamation of the ad hoc bodies. There would be economies in training manpower Initially all the staffs of the authorities would have to be taken over, but as time went on the regional authorities would be able to streamline their staffs Heng Kong, according to an Supporting his view that there would be a district saving in expenditure, Mr Yaldwyn said there was a tendency at present for ad hoc bodies to prepare their expenditure and then pass the bill on to the territorial local authorities.

Regional authorities would collect rates directly. Surveying the provisions suggested so far by the commission. Mr Yaldwyn said the regional authority would control the public services or w-orks undertaken by any of the following:—road boards harbour boards, river boards, drainage boards, catchment boards, catchment commissions, milk authorities, water supply boards. sewerage boards, fire authorities, tramway boards, transport boards, electric power authorities and those which also controlled gas. underground water authorities, rabbit boards, and airport authorities. Hospitals, Education There was some doubt whether hospital and education boards, which drew their finance from the central government, should be included, he said. A strong body of opinion favoured their inclusion.

For the North Canterbury region, he said, the Road Tunnel Authority could be included. (The Authority wrote saying that it would not be represented at the meeting as it was not an elected body, but a nominated one.

Mr Yaldw-yn said it was proposed that the region be divided into. say. 15 electoral districts, each one of which would elect a member of the Authority. Half the members of the Authority would retire every three years, but be eligible for nomination. The latter suggestion was an endeavour to ensure that the authority would operate as an efficient board of directors rather than as providing an opportunity for discussing

domestic politics. It would retain continuity of administration. a system which had been found to work well elsewhere.

The authority could appoint standing or spacial committees. he said, and delegate to the committees its powers, but every such committ-ee would be subject to the control of the authority. It would also have power to delegate to any constituent authority responsibility for any particular functions of the authority 5506 “Candidates" "There are 5500 members of ad hoc authorities in the country in addition to the territorial local authorities, so there would be plenty to offer their services," he said

When Mr A. E. Wagner 'Waimairi County Council) asked whether a start could

be made on a regional authority for greater Christchurch. Mr Yaldwyn said the commission thought it was better to have a small number of large authorities than a large number of smaller regional authorities. To Mr H. T. Metherell (North Canterbury Electric Power Board), he said that any scheme produced by the commission was only in the form of a recommendation to the Government.

“I hope the commission will bear in mind that any regional system is unlikely to succeed if it is forced on us." said Mr E. J. Bradshaw (Transport Board). “We should try to have it brought in by peaceful agreement.” Regional control was necessary where there were regional problems, he said, and thev seemed to centre on the cities. It might be more acceptable if regional authorities were based on the big urban areas of the city and allowed to grow naturally. Mr Yaldwyn: We think they are as necessary in the areas outside the metropolitan areas as they are inside them. Mr A. T. Bell (catchment board) said his board was already a regional authority.

He was puzzled how it could be brought under the control of another authority, and foresaw serious difficulties over its system of rating and classification.

Population, Valuation To another questioner. Mr Yaldwyn said that if representation was decioed on population, it could have some undesirable features. It might be that valuation would also have to be taken into account.

Even so. there would be 80 per cent, in the metropolitan area, commented Mr R. M. D. Johnson (Tawera County Council).

There was more possibility of getting agreement in the closely built-up metropolitan areas, said Mr T. W. Preston (catchment board); but Mr Yaldwyn replied that it was essentia] that regional planning should cover the whole of the country, and that would preclude piecemeal formation of regions. Some ad hoc bodies had come into being because the territorial authorities had not been able to take on the extra functions, said Mr E. J. Stalker (Springs County Council). If there was further reorganisation of territorial authorities, they would be better equipped to carry out some of the functions of ad hoc bodies, with a savin? to ratepayers. Mr Johnson said it seemed that the 15 regional authority members would have to be paid, and their work would be nearly full-time, so they would have to have a substantial salary Salaried Posts

“If you ask a man to spend a lot of time doing a job, he is worthy of payment,” Mr Yaldwyn said. “Once it was the prerogative of wealthy people or retired people to give their services to local government. That has changed. We want young men in many cases. In New Zealand most of us don't earn a lot or we have it taken from us by taxation if we do. In many cases the people you want for local government cannot afford it. “I think it would be a fulltime job. and the men prepared to go on the authority would have to be paid for doing the work. I also think the savings in the amalgamation of more than 700 ad hoc bodies, whether they are efficient or not, into about 20 authorities will be very considerable."

To Mr F. R. Price (Drainage Board), Mr Yaldwyn said that committees could be appointed by :he authority to control various functions. There would be no change in the boundaries or rating of, say,* a drainage or transport board It could be that where a local body was already performing some functions satisfactorily it would be delegated those functions by the authority. Mr Yaldwyn asked all the representatives to discuss the proposals with their councils and boards so that the commission could have the benefit of constructive criticism and suggestions.