LOCAL BODIES AND AMALGAMATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 138, 6 March 1940, Page 5

LOCAL BODIES AND AMALGAMATION

Minister’s Reference EXAMPLE OF AUCKLAND AUTHORITIES The number of Auckland local authorities was rel'mTod to by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Barry, lit 11'address to the municipal (Wiferenep if. Wellington last night. The charter for the Borough of Ancle land included the whole of the urea of the isthmus including Onehunga, Panmure. Otahtihu, Howiek and l.amaki, said Mr. Parry, i’criiaps the people of that day were wiser in their genet ition titan the people who subsequently created the 1-1 or 15 autonomous local authorities which were al- present op erating in that area. Berlinps, some day. the defect might be remedied. it was interesting to notice a fow of Hie provisions of Hie Municipal Corporations Bill, 18G7. as they differed from present-day conditions. Due oi tliy earlv sections detill "lib a .-’ub jeet in w lticli be was deeply concerned --this was the amalgamation of local authorities. Section 11 of the Act stated: "If councils or the majority of ratepavers of each of any two . . . boroughs which . . ■ adjoin ettclt other . shall by petitions . . . of such bor ouglis or .'. ■ of the ratepayers pray the superintendent that sue!) boroughs shall be coiislittiled one uniietl borough it shall 1)0 lawful to constitute such boroughs . . . one borough. . Tliis vesting of Hie power of amalgamation in the hands of the council was an interesting proposal, pai'tieularlv in view of the discussions which had recently taken place in New Zealand upon the subject. Obviously the parliamentarians of the time anticipated that amalgamation would in the future be a normal procedure in.relation to the development of municipal government in the colony, for the.v made certain provisions ns to administration when two. three or eyen four boroughs should have been united.