TOO MANY BOARDS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 March 1937, Page 7

TOO MANY BOARDS.

LOCAL BODY ADMINISTRATION. ACTION IN MARLBOROUGH. (By Telegraph— Press Association.) BLENHEIM, Last Night. Pointing out that there are over 120 counties in .New Zealand, and that in his opinion 20 were sufficient in the South Island, the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry) informed a local body conference to-day that his scheme for amalgamations included union of the Awatere and Marlborough counties. The conference, which the Minister specially attended, followed a preliminary conference of the Local Body Amalgamation Bill. "In analysing the position of local body consolidatibn in the Dominion, one of the first points that struck me was that the key to proper and effective reduction in the number of local authorities was through the county system of Government," Mr Parry told the con- I ference. After recommending the conjoining of the two counties, and the incorporation of the .Haveloek Town and Harbour Boards under the resultant body, the Minister expressed astonishment at the number of rabbit boards in Marlborough, which he regarded as unprecedented in New Zealand. Notwithstanding their special purpose, he failed to see why they couldn't come under central control. The upshot of the conference, which lasted several hours, was that the Marlborough and Awatere Counties will confer with a view to achieving a mutual agreement to amalgamate, failing which the matter will be referred to a special Court comprising a Supreme Court Judge, a Government representative and local body nominees.