COUNTIES CONFERENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21555, 28 July 1933, Page 10

COUNTIES CONFERENCE

VIEWS ON AMALGAMATION OFFICERS OF ASSOCIATION [by TF.T.F.GP.AI'n —press association! WELLINGTON, Thursday The annua] conference of the New Zealand Counties' Association to-day approved of amalgamation of local bodies where it could be shown that economies without loss of efficiency could be effected. The conference supported the setting up of a commission to make an impartial investigation into tho subject. The conference decided to press for legislation to remove inequalities existent in section 50 of tho Valuation of Land Act, 192-3. Failing legislation the Government is to be urged to suspend the section for not more than two years. It was also decided to urge that local body rates should become a first charge against a mortgage to the Crown. The election of officers resulted: — President, Mr. A. E. Jull, M.P. (Waipawa); vice-presidents, Messrs. W. Morrison (Waitotara), and C. J. Talbot (Fairlie); committee. Messrs. J. W. Anderson (Mntamata), J. Connett (Taranaki), K. W. Dalrvmple (Rangitikei), C. Matthews (Cook), G. A.Monk (Horowhenua), L. Webb (Whangarei) and C. K. Wilson (Waitomo), representing tho North Island; Messrs. M. Bethel! (Amuri), F. 11. Flatman (Geraldine), W. 11. Mclntyre (Buller), W. M. Norman (Southland) and J. Ritchie (Vincent), representing the South Island. FAULTS OF LOCAL CONTROL "LIMITATION OF yiSIOX [BV TELECRATil —PRESS ASSOCIATION* 1 WELLINGTON. Thursday The assertion that New Zealand was getting a very poor reputation becauso the real rulers of tho country wero small groups of local body members who had obstructed any attempt made by the Dominion to free itself from parish control was made by Dr. Campbell Begg, leader of the New Zealand Legion, in an address at Roseneath this evening. . Dr. Begg contended that the formation of decentralised local government in districts largo enough to govern was necessary, not merely to avoid expense, but to let New Zealand make any prctenco at being a nation or having any future as a nation. "We have not earned the right to use the word national at all," he declared. Dr. Begg said that unless the present Government, or any Government, decided what legislation was necessary and put it into effect, it simply meant that the people were being hetraved and the Government had abrogated its powers to govern and handed them over to a bureaucratic and parochial minority. Tie declared the riding svstem had tended to make the limits of vision the limits of the riding.