M.P. imbalance blamed

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 6

M.P. imbalance blamed

PA Wellington Wellington’s Mayor, Mr Jim Belich, says the city is bearing the brunt of cuts to police staff numbers because the region is under-represented in Parliament. The balance of power in Parliament favoured Auckland, he said. Wellington was bearing the brunt because of this, in the same way the city was hit with land tax before Auckland. He did not think the cuts were related to council criticism of Government policies. Mr Belich said he would ask the council to make strong representations to Government against police cuts at a time when the police were already under pressure to maintain law and order. He said he had been - assured that after

the cuts, police strength in Wellington would be proportionately the same as in other areas. But this implied the region had been over-staffed and he felt parts of the region had been under-staffed. He said the council could help the police with its role in the community, but it would need Government funding to do this. But the Citizens mayoralty candidate, Mr Rex Nicholls, said policing was too important to be given to local government. Cr Ken Boyden, a former policeman, said the police and the Ministry of Transport should become one. New Zealand could not afford the luxury of two separate law enforcement agencies, he said.