Auditor-General’s Report Criticised

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 20

Auditor-General’s Report Criticised

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, July 7. The Auditor-General should not attack local government, to which people unselfishly gave their time, only to be upset by measures beyond their control, said the Mayor of Temuka (Mr M. A. Cameron).

He was commenting on the report to Parliament on the shortcomings of seven local bodies, in which the AuditorGeneral (Mr B. D. A. Greig! said there was simply neglect to raise enough revenue to cover normal outgoings or to adopt some combination of more revenue and greater economy.

Local bodies, said Mr Cameron, had just completed their estimates this year when a wage rise was imposed. Had the Government given some direction beforehand, Temuka alone would have been saved the embarrassment of off-

setting about $lOOO. The Temuka Borough Council had been let down by the National Roads Board on its allocation. This was “a serious matter, in that the allocation, used to divert heavy traffic on the south-bound bypass route, was passed without dissent by the District Roads Council,” Mr Cameron said. “It then failed to qualify for the full amount of free grant” If Mr Greig held such critical views, then the corrective measures should be taken in Wellington, Mr Cameron said.

The Minister of Works (Mr Allen) had said that planning should be envisaged 20 years ahead, but if greater understanding was not shown in higher places it would soon be impossible to plan 12 months ahead, Mr Cameron said.