LOCAL BODIES’ MERGER

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1937, Page 16

LOCAL BODIES’ MERGER

MARLBOROUGH CONFERENCE [PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, February 26. 'Fourteen local bodies, comprising two county councils, two road boards, two harbour boards, six rabbit boards, a river board and a town board, met in conference to-day to consider to what extent the Government’s proposed amalgamation legislation can be applied in Marlborough. Already in recent years the merging of five boards into the Marlborough county, and the conjunction of two hospital boards and four river boards has reduced the number of local bodies in this province.

However, the conference —which was of an amicable nature after the smoothing over of an early incident when the Awatere county delegates threatened to walk out on the question of voting power—indicated that some further reduction is still possible. A series of recommendations was adopted unanimously and will be forwarded to the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) after ratification by the bodies concerned. Because of the special character of their work, it was deemed inadvisable to attempt to concentrate the activities of the rabbit boards in one body. It was announced that the Wairau River and Harbour Boards were agreeable to an amalgamation and the opinion was expressed that the functions of land drainage could be performed by the resultant body. It was decided that the Havelock Town Board should not be absorbed by the Marlborough county, but that the Havelock Harbour Board should merge with the town board. The Marlborough and Awatere County Councils agreed not to amalgamate. The position of three small road boards covering the Marlborough Sounds, where there are more waterways than roadways, was regarded as unique. It was therefore resolved that the Kenepuru board remain unchanged and that the French Pass and Croixelles boards be left to decide their own status.