MERGING OF BOROUGHS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17956, 7 December 1932, Page 7

MERGING OF BOROUGHS

PROVISIONS RESENTED OBJECTION TO COMPULSION BOTH PARTIES DWIDED (Piirliiiinfmtnry Reporter.) AVELLINGTON, this day. .Strong opposition to a new clause in tho Municipal Corporations Act providing for amalgamation of local bodies after u poll has been taken by only one of the bodies concerned was expressed in the House of Representatives yesterday. An announcement was made by Air. H. S. S. Kyle (Coal., Riocarton) that he would cause a division to be taken when the clause came up for discussion.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. A. Hamilton, announced in the course of his reply that he would be prepared to consider the transferring of authority for amalgamation to Parliament itself.

Mr. Kyle said a poll was the only democratic way of bringing about an amalgamation. The now c-laxlse sought to bring it about by compulsion. The proposal certainly was undemocratic, ami ho asked if it: had been'inserted'at the request of the Municipal Association.

The Minister: The Municipal Association ask6d for it.

Mr. Kyle pointed out that ’.if the clause was passed the Borough of Newmarket could be absorbed by the Auckland City Council without referring the matter to the ratepayers of the borough, and the same applied, to Riecarton, which could be absorbed by Christchurch. He suggested that the clause be deferred until the next annual conference, of the Municipal Association.

“It is there at their request.” repeated the Alin is tor. STRONG LOCAL SPIRIT “It. must be a minority request then,” said Air. Kyle. He said he could quite understand tho proposal coming from the secretary of the association, because anything in the way of bills could be expected of that gentleman. Air. Kyle’s protest was supported by Air. F, AA r . Schramm (Labor, Auckland East), who pointed out that under tho method proposed one local body could carry a poll which might bo a minority vote and cause the amalgamation of another local body. Replying, the Alinister said the general tenor of tho measure permitted local bodies to decide their own fate. The local body spirit was very strongly developed in Now Zealand, and the people desired to cling to their own local bodies. The method proposed ■was not terribly autocratic. After a poll had been taken the other local body concerned could apply for a commission. That was the safeguard. After tho commission had reported, the Government would consider the report. That was another safeguard. Air: AV. J. Jordan (Labor, Alanukau): 1 Couldn’t you mako the other local body take a poll as well. The Alinister suggested that after a commission had reported to the Government it could be reported to Parliament. He asked if that would not meet the objections. That would get over the difficulty of ordering amalgamation by Order-.in-Council. Air. Jordan said he could not accept this suggestion. Mr. Kyle: You are bringing Parliament down to the level of a local bodv. Air. Jordan: AVhv not take a vovs Ox both local bodies?

NO UNSEEN HAND The Minister said that that point could bo considered when the clause came under discussion. Ho would be prepared to let Parliament take a vote on the matter. “Wo are the final authority, and wo ought to accept responsibility, for doing what we consider to be the right thing,” said the Minister. There was no unseen hand in the proposal. It was just an attempt to bring about what was considered to be the right thing to do. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labor, Avon) said there was a good deal to be said for the clause, and lie quoted the case of Christchurch, which, from a local body point of view, was over-govern-ed. There was something to be said for the other side, but if local sentiment was always to be taken into consideration there never would be any progress made. He was favorable, to the Minister’s suggestion, for if the report of the commission was favorable to amalgamation, a bill could be submitted to Parliament. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labor, Christchurch E.) suggested, that, the proposal be brought forward in a separate bill. He said special amalgamation polls, as such questions were novel urgent, could be left to an ordinalv election date. However, some scheme for amalgamations should be evolved, and the Minister given power t o take an expression of opinion independent!} of action by the local bodies concerned.