LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18064, 15 April 1933, Page 11

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

MOVE FOR ECONOMIES AGITATION IN N.S.W. HALVE CONTROLLING BODIES SYDNEY, April 2. A complete overhaul of the municipalities and shires of New South Wales, with a possible reduction of their numbers by half, is said to be contemplated by the State Government. It is understood that the Minister for Local Government, Mr Spooner, intends to examine the whole question to ascertain whether more economical and efficient administration can be secured in a scheme of amalgamation. This would involve a reduction in the numher of municipalities and shires to obtain greater equality and co-ordination by rearrangement of boundaries.

At present there are 317 local government bodies in New South Wales — 179 municipalities and 138 shires—and they engage the attention of 2.191 aldermen and councillors. It is held by those members of the Government who have given study to the position that these local government bodies have grown without any guiding hand; that they have increased or diminished in importance according to local influences, without .regular attempt at periodic rearrangement.

In sup'port of the contention that there is no system or order in the lay-out, it is pointed out that the shires vary in area from 48 square miles (Woy Woy) to 5883 square miles (Lachlan); the municipalities from 54 acres (Darlington) to 53,054 acres (Central Illawarra). ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES The total revenue of all the local government bodies is £8,872,203, Their individual revenue varies from £5(55 (Broughtoii Vale) to £353,876 (Newcastle). Randwiek is second in order of magnitude with £200,380. The total administrative expenses amount, to £543,050, but this does not include charges to services and .undertakings, a very considerable figure. It represents only the amount charged to the general fund. Each local government body has a clerk and staff; many have engineers and other technical staff. The percentage of administrative expenses varies from two (Newcastle) to four (Randwiek) to 16 Catnbewarra and Broughton Vale). Erina Shire, with a revenue of £08,316, lias administrative expenses equal to 8 per cent of the revenue.

With a host of similar facts and figures to guide them, members of the Government believe that the time has arrived for a State-wide scheme of amalgamation. The satisfactory adjustment of the position opens up for the Minister for Local Government an enormous task, and one which will require long and exhaustive investigation to encompass. The scheme does not take into acount. the Greater Sydney proposal. The Government has not yet consider'd a Great Sydney scheme, and in any .•vent it will not be brought before Parliament this year.

New Zealand, with less than half die area of New South Wales, and little more than half the population, has 134 counties against 138 shires in Cow South Wales, and LSI) municipalities against 17!).