COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15748, 24 October 1914, Page 5

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

SUGGESTED ECONOMIES.

POSITION IN WAITEMATA.

Abottt 30 ratepayers of the Waitemata I County Council met in the Chamber of Commerce Building yesterday morning to consider the question of the division of jiho county and the removal of the council's offices from the city. The meeting was convened by Mr. T. Wake, and Mr. !J. O'Neill was voted to the chair. i Mr. Wake explained the objects of the meeting, which, he stated, was to consider the advisability of dividing the {county i n two. Ho said the cost of the 'administration of the County Council was £2000 per annum, end he maintained that | if the county was divided in two there would be a saving in administration and a general lowering of expenses. The time, he considered, had now arrived when the council offices should be removed from the city. He urged also that the question of the control of the upper harbour should receive attention.

Considerable discussion took place on the suggestions pat forward by the convener, and a general opinion prevailed that the county should not be divided, although several members considered that the county offices should be removed from "lie city. Mr. .a. Laing was strongly opposed to the county being divided, as he considered that the larger local body could more efficiently manage th 6 affairs of the district.

Mr. F. C. Rollett said he was' entirely unfavourable to any splitting up of the county, as it would be contrary to all systems of economy. He pointed out that there were 460 local bodies in New Zealand, and this number, he considered, was altogether too many. He recognised that there was a need for greater economy in the administration of the county's affairs. but urged that this could not be gained oy splitting up the district. Mr. A. Cochrane: To split up th» county would be a mistake, in the roadmaking of the future, up-to-date machinery will be required., and only a large local body is in a position to purchase such plant.

Mr. J. R. Leighton considered that the cost of administration in the county was not too great. Mr. W. Oliphant was of opinion that money would be saved by the. division of the county. Under the present system the whole of the county did not receive efficient supervision. The county offices, he maintained, should be retained in tie city. Mr. J. B. Guy opposed the division of the county, but thought that the offices should De removed from the city. Mr. V. Kerr-Taylor said it was not necessary to have the offices in the city. He thought the County Council should t>ay land and build its'own offices, and he suggested "a committee should be set up to go into the question of the removal- of the offices.

Mr. J. McLeod, a former chairman of the County Council, was not in favour of splitting the county, but was in favour of removing the offices to one of the county districts'. - " ■ After further discussion it was decided, on the- motion of Messrs. Wake and KerrTaylor, to set up a, committee, consisting of one delegate from each ridingj aha,the member for each riding to discuss all matters brought forward at the meeting, lhe committee is to meet next Friday morning in the County Council's office in Swanson Street. -.

On . the motion of Mr. Leighton, the committee was recommended to consider the question of the removal of the county offices from the city. . %