LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22463, 6 July 1936, Page 12

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM

Sir, —Although in agreement that time is opportune for a thorough investigation of the local government system of the Dominion, I cannot subscribe to the methods adopted* by self, appointed reformers in this connection. Local Government reform is of vital im! porta nee to the future welfare of the people, and to avoid costly and irremediable errors piecemeal chan»ej must be avoided. The whole question should be approached with au open mind, free of prejudice and preconceived ideas. This is definitely not the case with the Associated Chamber* 0 f Commerce, nor of the Auckland body which latter is very active in this matter. In the recent reports appearing in your paper, emanating from these bodies, are many inaccuracies, also statistics prepared in such a way that the conclusions desired by the authors must be drawn therefrom by readers not possessing special knowledge, For example, in the report of the Associated Chambers published this week it is stated that the expenditure of local authorities had increased threefold since 101 J, whereas the revenue from rates, licences and other taxes had increased from £3,138,972 in 1919 to £-3,743,-184 in 1933, or from £'2 13s 9d to £3 15s 2d per head, which is an entirely different result and is not unreasonable in view of improved facilities now given and the increase in costs. Again, New Zealand, with 700 local authorities, is compared with Glasgow or Birmingham. ZS'o proper comparison can be mStie of such entirely dissimilar conditions. One may just as well say that London's government is wrong simply because it has 441 local bodies functioning in its 691 square miles, whereas we can get along with a mere 686 in an area of 103.000 square miles. Incidentally, it may interest the Chamber of Commerce to know that there are 16.549 local authorities in England and Wales —that is part of the other side of the story. It will be conceded that certain bene* fits will accruo as a result of a reduo tion in the number of local authorities, but the financial savings arising therefrom are likely to be negligible. Experience, particularly in Australia, has tarnished the slogan "the bigger they are the better they function." The chamber does not hesitate to ridicuh* the stand of local . body members if they happen to be opposed to forcible annexation, a subject of which thev must necessarily have more intimate knowledge than outsiders. X will refrain from replying in kind and will conclude by asking one pertinent question. If, in the interests of efficiency and economy, it is necessary that amalgamation should be compulsorily brought about, without the approval of ratepayers, should not the same principle apply with respect to all pri» vate businesses, where duplication, over* lapping and wasteful competition Jf» so much m evidence to-day P Town Clerk.