WHANGAREI LOCAL BOGIES UNDER FIRE

Northern Advocate, 19 March 1937, Page 3

WHANGAREI LOCAL BOGIES UNDER FIRE

Urged to Receive Advice

as Advice

j In the course oi a discussion last ! night on how the Chamber of Commerce could assist most as a useful organisation in the community, Mr T. J. McFarlane, Junr., said that, in his opinion, th,e chamber could assist by acting in an advisory capacity to local bodies, which, he thought, should receive advice as advice, and not as criticism.

Mr McFarlane went on to say that he did not wish to castigate any member or members of local bodies, but the ideas of some of the present members were not always acceptable to him and he thought that the chamber was best able to advise on general matters.

Should Be In Position to Advise,

Mr H. W. Crawford agreed that the chamber should be in a position to advise local bodies, but he did not think their advice would, have much effect when it was known that there were only a handful of members at the chamber meetings. As a matter of fact he did not think that the chamber took very much interest in what the local bodies were doing.

Take the question of the electrical development of Northland, for instance. How much interest, he asked, had the chamber taken in that. Yet it was one of the most progressive moves that had been initiated in the North, and would do a great deal to encourage settlement in the rural areas if "it became available.

As far as the Borough Councils elecricity department was concerned, the borough had its own views. The council had done very well with this department but its aim, apart from giving good service was to make profit.

Personally, he would rather that the council had assisted the North-Auck-land Power Board in its efforts to reticulate the rural areas and thus help to make it possible for the country people to enjoy the use and convenience of electricity also. What a splendid gesture that would have, been to the country districts!

“Never Refused To Help.”

Mr Crawford added that he thought the members of the Chamber of Commerce and the ratepayers in the borough should have taken more interest in this vital question. Mr J. W. Parkin, a member of the Borough Council, agreed with Mr McFarlane that opinions were always acceptable, but, so far as electricity profits were concerned, to his memory the profits in Whangarei were £2,000 last year and £2,500 in the previous year, and he could not see where that amount of money would make much difference in giving facilities for the country districts. The Borough Council was also tied up with its agreement with the Portland Cement Company until 1957, and, whatever they cared to do, there would still be that obligation.

It was unfortunate, as far as the Borough Council was concerned, that a great deal of information was not available, but he could say that the council had never refused to assist the North Auckland Power Board.

The council had asked the board to guarantee that power could be supplied to Whangarei consumers at the same I’ate as now in force, but no answer had ever been received. The council had done nothing less than its duty in safeguarding the citizens’ interests, and jf prices jumped if ever the board took over the supply the council would have deserved criticism.

Profits Assist Whangarei

At present, profits from the electricity department went to assist Whangarei, -but if the power board made profits they would be spent outside Whangarei in most cases. The council was not in a position to assist outside areas, as it had a restricted boundary and could not supply outside that area. Mr H. C. Rishworth said that up till now in the discussion the chamber had adopted the worst way to go about assisting the community. He mention- , ed the criticism of local bodies and said he wished to dissociate himself from the remarks. It was not the chamber’s duty to advise local bodies and it was an impertinence to suggest such a thing. Local bodies were elected by the ratepayers, and if those elected did not do their duty it was the duty of the burgesses to say so. If the local bo'dy r w'Bs not doing what was considered to be the right thing, a deputation should be appointed to put forward views. After all, a local body compxised elected members, whereas the chamber was a self-constituted body answerable to no one but its own members. He considered that the chamber should Concentrate on matters outside the Borough Council’s province, and if J they had any views to offer they could j be given by deputation to Ihe council, f j The chamber should look after its own j j affairs and if it did that it would be j I respected. j