THE SERPENT IN EDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14530, 18 November 1910, Page 6

THE SERPENT IN EDEN.

POSSIBLE TOWN DISTRICTS. The Counties Act Amendment giving the Governor power to revive the Counties Act in various counties where it is not now in, force, has become law, but opinions vary considerably as to what the effect will be. While it is a sort of seri pent in Eden to some of the public men in that delightful suburban area, others regard the Act as an innocuous and even serviceable reptile. On© of the latest additions to the controversy is a suggestion that present road districts might be converted into town districts. But this, according to some figures/supplied by the chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Board, Mr. Chas. Bagley, would lead to still greater decentralisation than exists at present. Mr. Bagley states that it is provided by statute that no town district shall exceed two square miles in area, and that, therefore, if four of the existing road districts resolved themselves into town districts, there would be 13 authorities instead of' four. In support of this contention he supplies the following figures : : Road Town Area. Dists. Diets. JRemuera ... 2520 ... 1 ... 2 Avondale . 2870 ... 1 ... 2 Mount Roskill ... 4660 ... 1 ... 4-3. One-Tree Hill ... 6030 ... 1 ~.'5-4 Mr. Bagley comments:—"Although there may be nothing to prevent road districts changing their form of government to town boards, it would not'be in the best interests of local Government to increase the number of controlling bodies to such an extent as. from four to 13."