LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Evening Star, Issue 25426, 6 March 1945, Page 4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

DUNEDIN INQUIRY CLOSES CO-CPERATIOM MADE TASK PLEASANT " This was our first session in the South Island, and if the same spirit of co-operation prevails our sittings promise to be very pleasant," said iMr D. W. Coleman, chairman of the Select Parliamentary Committee on Local Government, at tho conclusion of the Dunedin hearing this morning. " The City Council nas co-qperated very well, and most valuable evidence has' been given by individual members and officers, which, we have been assured, has the endorsement of the council committees, and, in some instances, by the council itself. We .appreciate that very much," added Mr Coleman. " On behalf of the committee, I want to thank those bodies, organisations, and individuals that have tendered evidence, and assure them that we appreciate their attitude. Members of the committee left this afternoon for Invercargill, where they will sit to-morrow. They begin a sitting at Timaru on Friday. TRAFFIC CONTROL. " Too many cooks are spoiling the traffic broth in the cities to-day, and it would be an immense improvement to constitute the traffic districts and place the whole of the licensing and mechanical examination of public vehicles and the control of all traffic under the one enforcement authority,"* said Mr E. H. Barrett (chief traffic inspector), whoso statements, represented the opinion of the Transport Committee of the. City Council.

As the local metropolitan traffic district, Mr Barrett suggested the area comprising the city of Dunedin, the boroughs of St. Ki'da, Green Island, West Harbour. Port Chalmers, and the Peninsula county. • Three main divisions of traffic control appeared desirable, added Mr Barrett. First would be the four main metropolitan districts, where traffic inspectors should be under one control in each district. These districts would comprise th % e four main cities and the surrounding centres which, for the purposes of motor traffic: control, might be regarded as single units; secondly, boroughs with populations of 6,000 and over, w-hich would control their own traffic; and, thirdly, smaller towns and rural areas, which would be under a national system of control. FARMERS' REPRESENTATION.

Increased country" representation on the Otago Harbour Board was advocated by Mr E. H. Calder, secretary of the Otago Council of the New Zealand Formers'> Union. The present inclusion of only two country representatives was not a fair basis for. a port depending largely upon the agricultural and pastoral resources behind it. Local body reforms, on lines similar to those urged before the committee yesterday by the Counties' Association, were advocated by Mr "W. Malcolm on behalf of the North Otago executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union.