LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14845, 23 November 1911, Page 8

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM

A PROMISED BILL. ,' [BY T.ELEOIIAPH.— COItRKSPONDEOT-i Tacmarunui, Wednesday. . A statement in regard to the que a *iou 'i local government reform was made by the. Prime ; Minister _ (Sir Joseph Ward) at a ', I banquet tendered to him to'-day by the Mayor and councillors of Taumarunui. . The chairman of tho Ohura County Council (Mr. J. C. Stevenson), having'referred to the need of reform in this direction, the Prime Minister said that the matter was not being overlooked by the Government. A Bill consisting of 5k:4 clauses had, he • said, been prepared, but it was considered that it would be a mistake to mix' it up with the elections, and to thus "hafih about" a measure designed in the interests of the people of all political parties. The Bill would be introduced by the Govern?, ment—he was assuming, of course, that . ; the Government would have tho opportunity, thenearly next session, and in view of its importance he considered that it would take a whole session to properly '~ , consider it. The representatives of the local bodies, ho said, would bo afforded an opportunity of discussing the measure, which would be much in advance of anything of the kind hitherto proposed m New Zealand. ' It would give the people much greater powers of local control than they at present possessed, and it would be , of a very far-reaching nature. He could . not divulge the nature of the. provisions of ■; the Bill beyond stating' this, and add;:*..; that, corresponding to the increase o% the people's powers, there'would be a withdrawal from Parliament of some of the , many duties now devolving upon members of the House, but, which proper!:' , , > belonged to the local bodies. He repeated that it would remiire not three or four days, but three or four months, to pro* perly discuss a measure of this kind. " :