LOCAL BODY COSTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 253, 22 September 1933, Page 10

LOCAL BODY COSTS

ATTACKING THE PROBLEM. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. “The terms of reference appear to be so narrow as to prevent the Commission from devising any substantial measure of reform,” stated Mr A. S. Burgess, President of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, commenting to-day on the order of reference for the Local Body Commission to be set up by the Government. Mr Burgess said that an inquiry, which was confined to counties and bodies within counties, thereby excluding hospital districts, municipalities, Harbour Board districts and Power Board districts, could only touch the fringe of the problem. Though the abolition of rabbit, river, road and independent town boards would simplify rural government, it would make little difference to the cost or efficiency of the whole system. There were at present only 53 rabbit boards, 40 independent town boards, 18 road boards and 37 drainage boards in a total of 681 local bodies. Their total expenditure in 1031-32 was only £528,385 out of a total Government expenditure of more than £20,000,000. It was clearly desirable, said Mr Burgess, that the proposed Commission should be free to recommend as it saw fit the readjustment of boundaries so as to bring counties and hospital districts into conformity, and a re-adjustment of financial relations between county councils and hospital boards. The most serious defect in the terms of the reference was the exclusion of boroughs. This class of local body, more than any other, was responsible for the heavy increase in local body expenditure since the war, he added.