Local Body Reform Aims Before Government

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1939, Page 3

Local Body Reform Aims Before Government

CPer Press Association. Copyright.! WELLINGTON, Thursday.

The question of local body reform was referred to by the Minister of j Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, when Ire opened the biennial conference of the Now Zealand Counties’ Association yesterday. He assured the conference that the Government was 'anxious to proceed along the most satisfactory lines, and the recommendations of the Select j Committee, which had considered the j Bill providing for'amalgamation, were, now receiving the closest consideration 1 by the Government. 1

Mr Parry said that almost without exception the evidence placed before the Parliamentary Committee suggested there was some need for reform and that the existing methods were unsatisfactory. The committee had considered the suggestion that there should be a commission of inquiry to examine thoroughly the whole problem of local government, but it was felt that such a commission could do little other than suggest that something ought to be done, and that had already been admitted. It could not be suggested that acommission could finally and definite- j ly replace local government.