LOCAL BODY ECONOMIES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4397, 25 May 1933, Page 5

LOCAL BODY ECONOMIES

AMALGAMATION SUGGESTED.

OTHER MEASURES NECESSARY.

A communication from the Counties' Association was considered for the second time at the-Waitomo County Council meeting yesterday regarding the advisability of amalgamating local bodies. A discussion arose as to whether a Commission to investigate the matter was going to be set up, but the clerk read an extract from a letter which stated that this had been promised by the Prime Minister. Mr. Lee considered that the setting up of the Commission would be a right move, but he thought that at the same time it should investigate what reliefs should come to rural ratepayers. One of the biggest difficulties was that of Crown land rating, while others were the £4500 lost annually through native rates, and the £2OOO contribution to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Though it was all very well to set up a Commission to investigate the working of County Councils, it must be apparent to the authorities that some definite relief was neeessaryin other directions. The motor taxation was enough, he understood, to wipe out rating practically altogether, but at the present time, at least in the Waitomo County, the increase in traffic had caused the Council to receive practically no benefit from it save perhaps on a few secondary highways. A Commission might well be necessary, but it should go further, and definitely give a relief in rating with the assistance of petrol taxation.

"When the Highways Board was set up it was said that one of its primary functions," continued Cr. Lee, "was the relief of rural taxpayers, but this did not occur in our case. We have not derived the benefit we were entitled to."

The speaker referred to a report in "Board and Council" which stated that the proposal for amalgamation had been unfavourably received by the Waitomo County, but for himself he would be very sorry to see the Council take up this attitude, and he did not think that this had been the intention of the Council. Some Councils had lower administrative costs than others, though it was a peculiar coincidence that reasonably sized Power Boards showed a better percentage than the larger Boards. Would the same be the case with counties if they were allowed to become unwieldy? Petrol taxation should be giving double towards providing relief to what it was to-day. If the Commission were set up it should investigate the root cause of the trouble, and adjust such glaring matters as hospital, native and Crown rating, and the position of petrol taxation. Cr. Neal considered it a question of co-operation. Certainly there was a great deal of waste and overlapping which could be done away with by amalgamation. Perhapsi economies could be made by enlarging ridings and cutting down the number of members of county councils.

Cr. Georgetti: "I am quite satisfied that we are not getting the relief we are entitled to from the Main Highways—if we were, we would be getting along quite nicely and there would be no need to worry about amalgamation." After a discussion in committee, the following resolution was carried: "That this Council is not in opposition to amalgamation where it can be carried out advantageously, and that with a view to going into the whole position the local bodies in No. 6 Licensing District be invited to confer on the matter." # When the replies are received, and if the majority support it, the nature of the conference will be decided upon.