AMALGAMATION ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22608, 22 December 1936, Page 5

AMALGAMATION ISSUE

FRANKLIN LOCAL BODIES PROPOSAL FOR CONFERENCE [from our OWN CORRESI'ijNPFNt] PUKEKOHE, Monday

Action was taken by the Franklin County Council to-dav with a view to having the Local Government (Amalgamation Schemes) Bill discussed by all local bodies whose areas are within the boundaries of the county or adjoin the county boundaries, with the exception of the Pukekohe Borough Council. These are the Papakura, Waiuku, Tuakau and Mercer Town Boards, tho Maioro, Waipipi and Pollok-Avrhitu rabbit boards, and the Otaua and Aka Aka Drainage Boards. A copy of the bill was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry. The chairman, Mr. J. N. Massev, moved that the other local bodies be asked to forward to the council copies of their latest bal-ance-sheets and other relative data, to permit of analysis being made to ascertain whether amalgamation would be an advantage. On receipt and tabulation of the data, said Mr.,Massey, a conference of the bodies could be called and the matter debated in the light of the information, The local bodies would then be in a position to advise the Minister whether they considered amalgamation would be of benefit. - Mr. H. P. Garland said that if it was shown that the county council could do the work of some of -the small local bodies more cheaply that would be an argument for the absorption of those bodies by the council. Mr. J. Dean suggested that the bill was the "crack of the whip." "We are getting like Russia," he said. Any report as to what would be the most economical scheme of public administration in the county should, he urged, draw attention to Public Works Department methods. Ho claimed that the council could get "much better value for the money being:: spent by the department on Bluff Road, Mercer, and in other parts of the county. The department was still equipping men with wheelbarrows and handcarts for earth removal, while heavy road machinery it had obtained was not as efficient as the county machinery. The motion was carried.