NATIONAL, NOT PAROCHIAL, OUTLOOK REQUIRED

Northern Advocate, 23 June 1937, Page 10

NATIONAL, NOT PAROCHIAL, OUTLOOK REQUIRED

—MR PARRY

Local Bodies' Part In National Reconstruction

Urging a national, rather than a parochial, view upon local body administration, the Hon. W. E, Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, spoke of the necessity for reform at the reception in his honour at Whangarei last' night.

There was a danger, Tie said, while living in 1937 to let our minds dwell in when smaller units were necessary to foster development. Now, with better transport and communication facilities, the need for the parochial unit was passing, and a wider conception was necessary.

In the early times, too, local bodies had received little assistance from the public exchequer, whereas today subsidies were freely given, and, in the event of. any calamity affecting any one district, the whole of the resources of the nation and the people were available to assist. Must Play Their Share. Local' bodies must play their share in reconstruction, the Minister asserted. The extension of road and other facilities must be determined by the national productivity, which was represented by national productivity. If one part of New was administered by a local body, which, because it was too conservative, would not raise developmental loans, for instance, so that, farmers and other, producers were unable to- make their full contribution to the national wealth, then the progress of the Dominion’ as a whole, was retarded.

New Zealand could not afford to permit any part of the country to lag behind in providing the facilities which led to development.

Mr Parry expressed the view that greater responsibilities and powers should be extended to bigger governing units, enabling them to do jobs which were not being done, and, unless tackled soon, would give the country' many headaches in the futur^. “For instance,” he said, “in the North an expenditure of ; hundreds of thousands is required to remove willows which have been allowed to grow in and congest streams. A sum of £200,000 is required to clear one stream alone.” Scarred Acres Wasting Away. Mr Parry also referred to river erosion, brought about by the uncontrolled denudation .of hillside bush, leaving land that was practically useless, “In the high country, there are thousands of scarred acres wasting away,” he said, “and, in times of flood, the farmer’s manure is swept from the paddocks into the rivers, and roads and bridges are carried away. “Then the Government is called upon to give a subsidy of £3 for £1 to repair the damage. New Zealand cannot afford to let that sort of thing go op. Local bodies form an integral part of national administration of reconstruction.”,