LOCAL BODY MERGERS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 10

LOCAL BODY MERGERS

Spirit of Interest and Helpfulness MINISTER GRATIFIED By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, April 16. The care with which the local authorities of I he Dominion are considering the questions involved in the proposals of the Government for the amalgamation of local bodies was characterised as praiseworthily thorough by the .Minister of Internal Affairs (the lion. W. E. Parry), who arrived in Napier last evening. The Minister said that at all the conferences held to discuss the proposed legislation which he had been invited to address there had been abundant evidence of the deep interest of county councils in the provisions of the Bill which Parliament would be asked to deal with next session, and a pleasantly noticeable feature was the helpfulness which local bodies were showing in the matter, which was of considerable importance to New Zealand. “I am thinking that it is probably a long time,” remarked Mr. Parry, “since I had the pleasure of discussing in a spirit of friendliness and amicability a subject so important in its scope as local government amalgamation with such bodies of representative men as those I met iu conference at Musterton and Dannevirke yesterday and today. They are sound in their knowledge of local government and quick to realise that underlying the proposals of the Bill is a main desire to secure co-ordination of local government affairs which will be of lasting benefit to the Dominion. That seems to me to be the feeling of those conferences and much should ultimately be achieved by them. “I have a high opinion to express of county councils, the members of which have for many years done their work selflessly and with one aim, the benefit of the country and the people they servo. To many of these bodies I am convinced could be entrusted a wider field in their work than they now have, and the amalgamation proposals could give them that scope to the advantage of all.” PRINCIPLE APPROVED Wellington Fire Board Reference was made at yesterday’s meeting of the Wellington Fire Board to the Government’s scheme providing for the amalgamation of fire boards, when the sub-committee set up to consider the matter reported as follows: “That the Wellington Fire Board approves of the principle in the Local Government (Amalgamation Schemes) Bill, providing for the amalgamation of local body functions under larger local government units, in particular as applicable to fire board organisation within the Dominion. “It is suggested that opportunity offers for the merging of fire boards to cover larger grouped districts where interests arc generally in common and where advantages appear to offer for operation and control and administration of brigades from a centre within reasonable distance.” The adoption of the report was moved by the chairman, Mr. N. W. Nelson, who saiil that as worded the report was non-committal. Mr. M. F. Luckie said there was no harm whatever in approving of the principle, but it could have no practical application to Wellington. They could not contemplate being made responsible for Petone, the Hutt, and Eastbourne, which were entirely cut off from the city. The Hon. T. Brindle said he did not consider it impracticable. They could take iu such places as Johnsonville just as easily as they did Khandallah.

“In any event Hutt and Petone must be considered apart from "Wellington,” said Mr. Luckie.

“Ob, I don’t know,” said Mr. M. Marks. “How is it that one tire board can look after the whole of New South Wales?” “Well, I don’t think it has a practical application to Wellington,” persisted Mr. Luckie. “I am inclined to think.” said Air. Marks, “that perhaps a very great service might be done by amalgamation. “Only a little time ago we had an ap--1 iication from oue brigade to train a man; now we have another wanting the same thing: while our men are being sent out to take charge of brigades all o er the country. Then there is the matter of equipment. The big boards might have lots of old equipment not much good to them, but useful to country brigades.” The report of the committee was adopted.