COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 September 1925, Page 6

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

RECENT ADVERSE COMMENT. THE ASSOCTAtFoN’S HE PLY. Some time ago tlie .statement was made by the Wellington Automobile Association that the costs of county administration were excessive, and an injustice to motorists, who, it was stated, contributed substantially towards county road expenditure. The figures used were taken ironi the Government Statisticians’ report. The Wellington Association went so. far, as to urge the Premier to set up a commission of investigation. Inquiries now prove that* in the expenses scheduled by tlie counties were included heavy items for motor vehicles, purchase of land, subsidies, arid many . other amounts which were not- valic} as costs of administration. A circular 'published by the president of the Counties’ Associate op expressed its appreciation at the question being-’raised,' and added that this had given . opportunity ,to> secure from county councils more details of expenditure. Figures received showed that the statistician’s figures were in many cases far removed from actual administrativecosts. A few examples were quoted to shaw r that in each case the difference between the Department’s figures and those actually defined as proper costs ranged from 3 per cent up to as much as 24 per cent. “These examples could be increased, says tlie president in the eircuVr, “hut they hire sufficient to illustrate the false conclusions. ' arrived at by taking the percentages in the Department’s report without analysis. A further adverse comparison made by the Wellington Association in • the same matter was with the cost of administration of the Public Works Department, but as was pointed out by the president, the only fair basis of such a comparison that could be made would be on a .road work alone, and this is not kept by that Department. The president of the Association added that there was no doubt administration costs required to. be watched carefully to prevent extravagance, but lie gave a warning against any endeavour to be parsimonious in regard to engineering and inspection of road works.