COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 1, 8 January 1930, Page 7

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION. , CR. WRATHALL’S MOTION PASSED. SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD. The notice of motion submitted by Cr. R. T. Wrathall, requesting the council to carry out a searching investigation of county affairs, particularly in regard to administration, was agreed to without dissent at the meeting of the county council held on December 18. The council agreed to consider the matter at a special meeting to be held on Januarj 15Cr. Wrathall’s notice of motion was submitted in the following k form :—“That the council under- ' take an investigation into the administration of the council’s functions, such to include a searf ching survey into the overhead costs of all departments, with power to call for any books, vouchers or documents that may be found necessary to give effect to such enquiry, and to have power to move any rosolution that has for its purpose a text that will make for the more efficient and economical running of the council, either in the form of re-organisation or readustment, so that a greater amount of the revenue collected will be expended on the roads and bridges,

and a lesser amount on the overhead cost's of running the county. m Cr. Wrathall asks in this motion for the uninterrupted right to cite the administrative costs of other counties and rural districts throughout the Dominion for the purpose of comparison, and for a general discussion on county administration as an outcome of the motion.” Figures Irrefutable.

“You made reference just now, Mr. Chairman, to the fact that

you want to get home by seven o’clock,” stated Cr. Wrathall when his notice of motion had been reached on the order paper, towards the end ot the meeting. deal honestly and earnestly with this notice of motion by seven o’clock. I intend to deal with facts and figures I have got out in connection with the position. JfThev were supplied by the Govnment Statistician, and they

ca'nnot be refuted.” He contended it could be shown that there was a want of co-ordination between the two controlling depart-

ments. “There is a vast difference between the money collected and the amount spent on roads and bridges, and to attempt to speak to it in a few minutes is ridiculous. What I propose to deal with is capital valuation, unimproved valuation, and the general impost on the people in the separate areas, the amount paid to individuals for work on roads, and the percentage of salaries paid as against expenditure. Administration Costs Compared. “My advocacy is for large counr ties to reduce the cost of administration,” continued Cr. Wrathall. “The only statement I am I going to make to-day is this: 'mere are 89 counties in New which collect a lower than Mangonui, and 100 Hatties with lower administracosts for total payments.” Cr. Wrathall then quoted the following comparison of administration costs Mangonui, £5 3s 7d each £IOO 0 f revenue. Hokianga, £2 15. Whangaroa, £2 15.

Bay of Islands, £1 14s iod. Whangarei, £1 9s sd. Hobson, £4 5. “This county pays the highest administration in the North Island with the exception of Great Barrier and Kiwitea counties,” stated Cr. Wrathall. “For every £loo of revenue it costs Mangonui £5 7s 3d in administration. That is the only statement I will make to-day, for it is impossible to deal with the matter without holding a special meeting.” Cr. Wrathall then moved “That the whole council be formed into a committee to go into the quesltion of endeavouring to solve the problem of reducing the cost of administering the affairs of the Mangonui County Council, with a view to economising in the overhead running costs and establishing more co-ordination between the controlling departments, and that a special meeting be convened for the purpose of going into the whole question on January 16, 1930.” Seconded bv Cr. Kitchen, the motion was carried without dissent.