Counties Assn criticised

Press, 23 June 1978, Page 8

Counties Assn criticised

I The recent Counties' Association conference at Dunedin was relatively useless so far as Waimairi County was concerned, according to the County Chairman (Mr D. B. Rich). Mr Rich, at a press conference said that' “none of the addresses at I the conference were helpful! to urban counties, and the! Ministers invited to give addresses wasted their time! and the conference’s time.” ' Most of the emphasis was i given to rural problems, he! said. Little of the business of the conference applied to urban counties such as Waimairi. Mr Rich was most critical i of the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) for declining to

- give financial assistance to -Ilocal authorities. > “It represented a complete > lack of sympathy,” he said, s! “We are getting an even . smaller share of the gross national product than we did ; ’before. :' “On a pro rata basis, we LI are- doing more than w z e 11 used to, with less financial ? help from the Government.” i! Mr Rich said that the ■j “whole format of the coun- ! ties’ conference is due for a ;! shake-up,” implying that the ! ! i conference was not having! ; | the effect in Wellington > which it should. He suggested that one answer migh' be to have I smaller conferences, or else ■ ■ schedule conferences every two years to save on costs.