AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 7, Issue 32, 27 August 1937, Page 4

AMALGAMATION OF COUNTIES

Minister Explains Bill RATEPAYERS’ POLLS NOT FAVOURED The proposal for amalgamation of counties was explained to the annual Counties Conference, now sitting m Wellington, by the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry). In North Canterbury the scheme involves the amalgamation of Rangiora, Eyre, Ashley, Oxford, and Kowai Counties. Delegates to the conferencie include Messrs H. Tallott and S. G. Dailey (Rangiora), H. A. Bennett (Eyre), J. D. McCracken and C. A. Belcher (Ashley), and R. Peach (Kowai). The Minister gave a comprehensive review of the reasons for the Bill and the steps to be taken in bringing it to fruition. From his speech we print the following extracts: —

“In the course of my campaign this year,” said Mr Parry, “I have had the opportunity of meeting a large number of County Councils and groups of Councils. I have outlined to them the proposals. There has not been complete unanimity, but it would be a monotonous world if we were to agree on every subject. However, my purpose has been to take the subject of Local Government Reform out of A he realm of academic discussion and give it a practical application, and in so doing meet in their own territory the local bodies that are most immediately affected by the proposals.” The number of Counties in existence was increased from time to time, until today there are 129 in New Zealand, said the Minister. The justification for this increase had been that in the developmental stage it was natural that some scope for self-expression of particular communities of interest should be demanded and given. There was little doubt that in many cases subdivision was agreed to on very slender grounds. “In reviewing the position, I am forced to the conclusion that to a large extent, local bodies have not read carefully what is proposed in the Bill. This position was made particularly clear to me at meetings I had with local bodies at Christchurch only last week. There I was specially asked to explain the provisions of the Bill, and the successful nature of the proceedings was really due to the local bodies’ realisation from that explanation that the Bill is really a simple and fair one.

Purpose .of Bill “The fundamental purpose of the Bill is to provide a simple yet careful and effective method of bringing about a substantial reduction in the number of local bodies in the Dominion with a view to creating bigger and better local governing units. This has long been recognised as one of the first steps to-

wards bettering our Local Government system. “We cannot expect to gain to the full the advantages of scientific and mechanical inventions unless we are prepared to - re-adjust our ideas as to Government and Governmental areas, so as to make possible the fullest utilisation of the progress which man has achieved in the mechanical fields.

“I am a firm believer and upholder of democratic institutions, but I tell you frankly that I am alarmed for the future of local government in the country. Unless we are prepared to move with the times and carry out whatever adjustments are necessary to enable the local government machine to function efficiently, we cannot complain if it is thrown on the scrap heap. That is the law of progress which takes no thought of forms of government. In most democratic countries today, the Local Government machine is being thoroughly overhauled and the administrative base broadened and strengthened. This is particularly true of the counties which are an important feature of local government in most English speaking countries i “With the growing complexity and rapid expansion of Governmental functions, many of them calling for highly specialised techniques, there is no alternative between state administration and a revitalised and well equipped local government system.

Minister’s Power Limited “No Minister is going to adopt the arbitrary method of 'giving a decision on a scheme to which there> are substantial objections when there is elaborate machinery for giving a full investigation to the proposals. With our methods of Government, I do not think such a thing is possible, but I will go further and say that if there is any doubt about this, then, before the Bill

becomes law, I will have it made quite clear that the Minister’s, power to act without a Commission is to be confined to those cases where there are no objections or where the objections are minor or frivolous. “The Counties have been selected for preliminary initial attention because I believe that it is important that the County system be reorganised first.”

Ratepayers’ Polls An item on the agenda paper of the Conference that the legislation be altered so as to provide for a poll of ratepayers on the subject was referred to by the Minister. “The position is that the plan of local body consolidation is a national one based on a national outlook,” said Mr Parry. “Admittedly, the particular scheme for any locality directly affects that locality, but taking the broad view of the situation, it is simply a part of a general scheme of reorganisation of local bodies so as to strengthen the whole structure of local government. If, however, I permitted any one scheme to be submitted to a local poll, then in fairness I must also agree to all other schemes being submitted to local polls. In that case, the fate of schemes would be decided at various times, in various ways, and on local and other considerations that did not take into consideration the national outcome of the plan of reorganisation. This would not represent the true vote of the people on the broad issue of whether there should be local body reconstruction in the Dominion, and the national aspect would be disregarded. “Further than this, the restriction that the poll should be a poll of ratepayers is entirely out of the question. A national matter affects the people as a whole, not one section. Local bodies receive subsidies and other forms of national assistance and it is not the ratepayers who find the money for this. It is the people of New Zealand. I am prepared to abide by the result of a poll by the people on the general issue of local body reconstruction, but I am not prepared to have the fate of the Bill determined by various sections of the community in a way which is definitely out of tune with the national outlook from which it has been framed.

“Complete Anti-Climax” “To submit any amalgamation scheme to a poll of ratepayers would be a complete anti-climax to the elaborate and carefully prepared procedure set out in the Bill for the purpose of performing a national piece of work. Such a step would not be in keeping with the main principles of democracy, and would not be in the best interests of the Dominion as a whole.”