THE ECONOMIC SITUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21360, 13 June 1931, Page 12

THE ECONOMIC SITUATION

TO THE EDITOR. Sir—Much has been said and written of late with reference to the economic situation. We have read letters, interviews, and recommendations from individuals, societies, and chambers of commerce, but I have not seen any notice taken of a suggestion put forward by the Prime Minister about the beginning of February. I refer to his statement that there were far too many controlling bodies in the country, and that it would be advantageous to have the number Oi them considerably reduced. Perhaps an emergency session of Parliament was not the most opportune time to deal with a subject of such magnitude, but it is to be hoped that Mr Forbes will keep his suggestion steadily in view, as there is no doubt that there are counties of limited area, and more limited finance, that could advantageously be amalgamated with or divided amongst adjoining counties to the benefit of the taxpayers of both, securing for them better service through their being enabled to employ a more competent staff and reducing their overhead expenses by enabling one office to transact the business now transacted by two. For instance, even in a city like Dunedin. where is the need of a Drainage Board to attend to the drainage and sewerage? As well might there be a transport board to manage the trams and buses, or an electric power and light board to manage the electrical business. Then the day of usefulness of suburban borough councils is past, as their interests and the city’s interests are identical. Any city person wishing to visit or communicate with a resident in a suburb can do so now quite as easily as 25 years ago he could have visited or communicated with someone two blocks away. The existence of three or four borough councils' around a city (some of them even with different systems of rating), the management of which could be far more competently and economically performed if directed from one centre, is wholly unnecessary. If the Government were to appoint a commission to find out how far community of interest extends I believe that about half of the controlling bodies that are now in existence could with advantage be dispensed with. , . , I have touched only on the fringe of

this subject, but would like to see a little more diseusison on it by expansion leagues, chambers of commerce, and others that are competent to deal with it. Perhaps some of the delegates at the presessional conference in Dunedin on the 22nd inst. may bring the matter under the N notice of our parliamentary representatives, as it seems to me rather strange that such a silence has prevailed os so important a subject.—l am, etc., Get Together. Maia, June 11.