Local Bodies To Consider Amalgamation Proposals

Northern Advocate, 24 June 1937, Page 4

Local Bodies To Consider Amalgamation Proposals

A FTER a conference lasting all day to discuss the question of the of local bodes in Northland, and following an address by the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, the reprerepresentatives at the meeting held in Whangarei yesterday, passed a motion to the effect that the representatives of local bodies North of the Waitemata county meet to form themselves into committees to bring down proposed schemes of amalgamation for submission to the Minister. Following the Minister’s address the whole subject was generally discussed. Mr A. E. Bisset (Bay of Islands) said that he thought that the question of local government was one, on which the people who produced the wealth of the country should have a say. In the end, all the costs came £ack on these people. Mr V. Trounson (chairman, Hobson County); I wish to take exception to the report sent to the Minister by the secretary of the North Auckland Counties’ Conference in the name of the conference. It was sent without- the consent of the conference and I don’t think it meets with the approval of one member. On that report, the Minister appears to base his desire in reference to the county amalgamation.

Turned Down. ( ■■■/ Mr Rodney Coates (chairman, Otamatea County) said, in reference to the plan sent by Mr Hemphill to the Minister, that it was put before the North Auckland Conference in 1933, had re-' ceived quite - a lot of consideration, and had been turned down. . Mr Coates commented that the North was largely a dairying district, and roads were essential. The struggle had been to give a metalled access to every farmer. Each riding member was in close touch with the requirements of his. area and, in a big county such as proposed, he did not think that there would be the supervision. The Otamatea county had not been idle in amalgamation and had absorbed several smaller bodies in the past. There was room for improvement and the county desired to co-operate with the Minister, but it was a difficult problem. ‘ / Mr H. T. Atkinson (chairman. Bay of Islands County) said one or two things in the Minister’s remarks had rather frightened him, and one was that better methods were desirable, but that the cost would be greater. All increased costs had to come back to the man

on the land. Could he bear it?

After, hearing the Minister bethought that the matter should be referred back to the counties for a report back to the Minister. He did not feel that the conference could get much further. •

the centre of the county and that meant that the machinery available, for the upkeep of these roads was not available to the county nor the county’s machinery to the Government. It meant, however, that the county had to transport its machinery over the roads it did not maintain, entailing extra expense. It was realised that, on many occasions, work could be done in conjunction;, or under one administration, , more economically than at present. He agreed, that, if they were going to have Amalgamation, must consider efficiency and economy. '

Mr W. Vickers (Manjgonui) said he was in accord >nth, the statem&its made by Mr Coates. Under amalgamation, 1 one of ; the troubles of the backblock settler would be that he would lose personal touch which the riding member could supply. He knew the" wants and peculiarities- of eachman in'his riding. These were pro-' bably unimportant, except to the man concerned, and probably would not be brought before a large body. Personal touch went a long way, and he did not think the time was ripe for amalgamation. It may come about, in the future when the country w§s more advanced and the reading system improved. Not So Qood For Town Boards. . Mr J. T. 8.. Taaffe (Kaitaia Town Board) said that there did not appear, tc be any indication as to how town board affairs were to be handled under amalgamation. Close touch was possibly more important in a town board than elsewhere. ■ Mr A. C. Yarborough - .(Hokianga) j asked if it was the intention of the j Government, in the event of the areas of local bodies being increased, to do away with Public Works, or do away with counties; Mr E. A, Neumann (Russell Town Board) said ’ that the basis of the scheme was continuity of policy. In Auckland, with many boroughs abutting on to the' city, such continuity was essential, but he did not see that the same applied to the large areas in Northland. He suggested that ff the counties met together every six months, dr every year, and then, by a majority vote, carried out a policy scheme, then it would be a substitute for amalgamation.

There was no community of interest between Russell and Whangarei where the centre of one county would probably be. Town boards were embryo county councils, and who could say what a town board would develop into in a fbw years?

When Bussell had been part of the county only £2O or £3O a year had been spent on the town, whereas, last year, £I,BOO had been spent, £SOO in rates and the rest in relief work. If Bussell were included in a county, it would be neglected.

Mr R. Nesbitt (Hikurangi Town Board) said that his board W£js not worrying yet as to the future possibilities. If the skeleton plan was adopted, and, provided it could be shown that the administration of the board’s area would be carried out as economically as in the past, the board would not present any obstacles. Bird In The Hand. Mr R. Leslie (Whangaroa) said that the counties knew what they had got, and a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush. No decision could be reached at the conference and the matter would have to be discussed among themselves. Mr T. N. Blake (Whangarei county) said that the county appreciated the help given by the Government, but now there was a difference. The Government had taken over certain roads in

Thorny Problem. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, said the problem had been discussed time and again and was a very matter. It had to be remembered that many of the local bodies of today were brought about by the old system whereby a local body could receive a subsidy up to a certain limit, and, this resulted in some big bodies splitting and each part received the subsidy. ' In regard to the constitution of the Bill, Mr Coates said that wherever it was reasonable. New Zealand should try and improve its local 1 body administration. The constitution of the commission was another question. It V/as to comprise a judge, a representative of the Government and one of the local bodies, and a point which needed clearing up was whether the court woqld give effect to the Government These were points ode heard practical men anxious -to co-op-eratW • /’, - f r .. ■ ■ ' ■■ ,■ f ■ , ' • :‘ . Mr J. A, Pinlayson, the chairman of the ' Whangarei body, was the first spokesman to speak. According to the scheme prepared by the clerk to the North Auckland Counties’ Association, the - ratepayers would have no direct say or vote in the constitution or policy of the board. He did not see how nominated administration could do the work more efficiently than the present democratically controlled bodies. Missed Main Objective, “I have listened very carefully to the critics of the proposal and it appears that they have missed the main object of - the reconstruction proposals,” said Mr Parry, in reply. “It is not a ques • tion of saving a Id here and there. A couple, starting in life, build a home to Suit themselves, but, as the family grows, have to provide further accommodation. In the same way we ask j the s local authorities to move into a ) bigger form of local body government than we have been accustomed to in the early developmental days. “In some parts of New Zealand towns

of I£oo people are being administered very efficiently indeed by county councils. Counties can do good work in the administration of small towns, and I want to see the counties absorb such places. The advantage in the ideal of amalgamation lies in greater continuity and scope for the employment of scientific plant. Today we have three and four counties contiguous to one river, each throwing the responsibility of coping with erosion upon the other man. The three greatest problems New Zealand had to face are diseases of stock, noxious weeds and river erosion, and these couTd best be dealt with by larger and more efficient local bodies, co-operating with the State.”

Compulsion Question. Mr Parry made it clear that it was only proposed to introduce compulsion in the case of local bodies who refused to formulate a scheme of their own and that, even then, the final say would rest with a commission, presided over by a Supreme Court judge. Larger units of local body administration would be the best safeguard the backblock settler had, and weight could be' added to representations on his behalf. Cheapness did not always determine good administration. What the farmer was most concerned about was efficiency of service.' ' Mr Parry declined to reply to some written questions handed to him by Mr Mac Kay (Whangarei County Council), saying that introduction of political issues, which he desired to guard agairist, would be involved. All questions of general policy, such as rating, would be tackled as in 43ie past, but he would like to see greater relief given to areas where there was a large proportion of struggling backblock settlers.

Motion Carried. “I would like, to see the Northland local'bodies assembled here take soma, step in the direction of the proposed scheme,” Mr Parry concluded.

“The adoption of the broad lines of the proposal will do more than anything else to bring an increase in your population and greater development of the area as a whole.”

Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay (Whangarei County Council) ihoved and Mr M. McInnes (Kamo Town Board) seconded that “This conference is prepared to consider any reasonable proposals which will preserve the rights and privileges of the ratepayers to the existing form of government, but it is opposed to any form of compulsion.”

Mr J. T. B. Taafle considered that the best procedure would jae to take the information gleaned back to the respective boards and councils for them to make the final decision. Mr A. C. Yarborough moved and Mr J. A. Finlayson seconded: “That representatives of the local bodies north of Waitemata County meet in conference to form themselves into committees to bring down proposed schemes of amalgamation for submission to the Minister of Internal Affairs within four months.”'

Mr Mac Kay subsequently withdrew his initial proposal. Messrs R. Coates, W. Vickers, V. Trounson and R. H/. Nesbitt identified themselves with the motion, which was carried unanimously. On the proposal of the Mayor, Mr Parry and his staff were accorded a hearty vote of thanks, the Minister replying. ' . .