LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 12

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

METROPOLITAN BOARD PLAN. ENDORSEMENT OF THE SCHEME. METHOD OF CONSTITUTION. The metropolitan hoard. scheme, for fhc control of regional services in the Auckland area took definite shape last evening, when a meeting representative of local bodies and the citizens' committee sponsoring the proposal, decided that the board should be formed, and agreed on certain details in connection with its working. Questions relating to the area to bo embraced and the representation to lie allowed the various districts were deferred until the City Council and the North Shore boroughs have defined their attitude to the scheme. "It has been felt for a long time that local government is not in a satisfactory condition, and the rapid growth of Auckland has brought the question to the front," said Mr E 11. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden, who presided over an attendance of 20 Details of the scheme had been referred to committees, and their recommendations had been forwarded to local bodies. These recommendations, which the mooting would bo called upon to confirm or amend, would define the respective functions ol the board and the .local bodies in its area. "There has been a tendency to override local bodies and bring them under tho control of boards appointed by the Government," said Mr. Potter. "A determined stand should be made against any such tendency, and tho metropolitan board offers tho best opportunity of doing so. A feature of Auckland's great growth during tho past few years has been the increase in the settlement of outside areas, each of which lias its own special problems, while all are concerned m tho joint services which provide the utilities required for the whole area. The system which is now proposed will meet both those requirements." City Council's Attitude. A communication from the City Council was read, explaining that, owing to pressure of business, the council had not yet been able to discuss the scheme. On the chairman's motion, it was decided that a metropolitan board should be formed. Mr. L. A. Eady said the City Council proposed to discuss tho scheme on Thursday. He asked what the position would be if the council appointed representatives to attend a further conference. Would such a decision have any effect on the recommendations being considered at that meeting T " Tho City Council had an opportunity to attend a previous conference, but it offered some excuse," said Mr. Potter. "It is not really a question for local bodies, but for the people of Auckland." If the City Council did not agree to the plan, Mr. Potter indicated the proposal would be made an issue at the next elections.

The advisability of deferring consideration of some aspects of the scheme until the City Council had decided whether it would be represented was counselled by Mr. W. J. Holdsworth. Mr. Pctter said the way could be left open for that. Source of Board's Revenue. Consideration of the question of representation on the board was deferred. The procedure recommended was that representation should be on the basis of one member for each local district, with an additional member for each 10,000 inhabitants or fraction of that number over the first 10,000. Representatives, it was further recommended, should be elected on the rolls of the various local bodies. The following recommendations bearing on finance were adopted:—The revenue of the metropolitan board to consist of licence fees, profits from services and rates if found necessary. From this revenue it would defray the charges now made on the local bodies for such services as hospital, drainage, lire prevention, town planning, etc. The revenue for local bodies to consist of rates levied as at present for local requirements. In the event of the metropolitan board having to raise loans, the repayment would be secured by a special rate over the whole district. Loans raised by local bodies would be secured as at present by a special rate over that area only All loans which local bodies may wish to raise to be submitted to the metropolitan board for approval be fore being placed before ratepayers. Loans to be placed through the metropolitan board so as to obtain the best terms avai table Activities to be controlled by the board were agreed to as follows:—Main traffic routed; hospital and public health; public domains; public transport of all kinds, excluding railways, with the right to lease to private enterprise: water; drainage; electric light and power; fire protection; and town planning. Area Yet to be .'Defined. On the question of area difficulties were encountered. The recommended boundaries were Papakura on the south; Henderson on t[ic west, Te Atatu to Little Muddy Creek, to include one or more ridings of the Waitemata County; Papakura to Howick, to include the Papakura and Pakuranga ridings of Manukau County; the North Shore boroughs; Brown's Bay to Lucas Creek to bo the northern boundary. Mr. E. Aid ridge,' Mayor of Dcvonport, said the North Shore boroughs had not yet reached a decision on the scheme, and ho preferred, for the time being, to dissociate himself from it. He pointed out that in the questions- relating to drainage and tramways North Shore had no very Close fellowship with the city A different view was expressed by Mr A E Creenslade, Mayor of Northcote. who said North Shore's interests were closely associated with those of the rest of the proposed area, while (he Waitemata bridge scheme, if it materialised, would draw the bonds of common interest still closer. It was agreed to defer consideration of the area to bo embraced. The question of promoting a local bill to give legislative effect to the whole scheme was also left in abeyance, and the meeting was adjourned. It is proposed to call u further conference next month.