LOCAL BODIES’ MERGER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18162, 9 August 1933, Page 12

LOCAL BODIES’ MERGER

PRINCIPLE ENDORSED PROCEDURE IN DOUBT WAIROA MEETING (Herald Correspondent.) A meeting of all the local body members whose delegates met oil a recent occasion to discuss the possibility ot amalgamating tile Wairoa local bodies in one regional council was held at the Borougn Council chambers on Monday. There was a gratifying attendance of members, and several officials, including the town clerk and Mr. W. Taylor, Harbor Board, and Mr. R. A. l’eez, Hospital Board. iTfle-Mayor* Mr; Hi ll* Marker, 'who had originally moved in tins matter at the request. of one or other of the local bodies, made reference to one sentence tin the circular to local body members, asking them to approach the matter of amalgamation in a spirit of statesmanship and not from a political or parochial viewpoint. Some exception had been taken to this, but he assured his hearers that no offence whatever was meant.

With regard to amalgamation, it seemed clear to him that the Government, wosl about to, move in this direction'and if" the-local 'people were wise, they would try to get m first. -The articles in, various sections of the New Zealand press and the congratulatory messages sent to Wairoa on its recent action" went to show that the scheme as outlined 'was' in favor, • and tho same might be said' of the Government, the speaker mentioning several ways in which he was given to understand that the Government would help. As already intimated, he had called the first meetings by request, find it was now for. the meeting to appoint a chairman from among its members, as he had no desire to monopolise the chair. * Mr Galbraith moved, and Mr. Nolan seconded, that Mr. .Harker, take the chair. On the town clerk calling for further, nominations,- Messrs. Nolan, Corkill and G. C. Osmond were proposed, but all declined for various reasons, and Mr. Harker was elected amid applause, POSSIBLE SAVINGS

In taking the chair, Mr. Harker outlined the work of the various sub- ; committees already set up to go into the possibly economies, and said they had arrived at a possible si heme a ceiu- ’ bined body. They had dealt with practically all the possible savings in the administration and tne starting. Unntting the outside starts, for the present, the estimate of savings came to £23oU, or a possible £2500 per annum, but that was only a small part ot the . economy expected, for they had in view much better oversight, and less debt. It was possible for individual bodies to claim that they' had . this oversight, but the present local nodies, even supported by , the conditions laid down by the .Loans Board, ‘ could not oversee the work as could be done oy a larger board, and in addition ilie practice oi borrowing would be lessened. One body would speak for all interests. He was satisfied the proposals would be for the good of the district.

The chairman apologised for the absence of Messrs. A. T. Carroll and J)’. L. Joblin. In reply to Mr. E. H. Glendinning, Power Board, he estimated the saving at 30 per cent, on the present costs. ADMINISTRATION COSTS To Mr. Tapper the chairman replied that the administration costs of the local bodies at present was £5325, , and with the honoraria, £5755, cost under amalgamation, £4550, showing a saving of £l2j7. Other estimated savings such as on travelling expenses, audit, plant, cars, rents and elections, came to £1125, making a total estimated saving per annum of £2330.

Asked to explain how there could be a saving in the audit, the chairman said there would be one set of books instead of five, and one local body instead of five.

Mr. Brady, Harbor Board, said this was a case for Wairoa having the first call, still seven or eight members was too small a number.

The chairman: They have 63 now. Mr. Glendinning said that the proposed manager wpuld not be a dictator,; he would! go out with his engineer, or whoever was in charge of a job. The travelling expenses would be small. ’‘And if the engmeer is not capable of doing bis job,” said the chairman, “the manager or tile regional council will gat someone who is."

Mr. Tapper said that though the "present members got some allowances for travelling expenses, they had no perquisites.

Mr. Norris, County Council, did not see how the situation in Wairoa could be compared with, say, the Thames County. One man in Wairoa could I collect all the rates. ' The chairman said he must admit there was a lot of work involved in rate collection, and a saving would result by ’ amalgamation because there was too much junior work now jbeing done by the more highly paid officials, just because there was no one else to do it. I MR. BREWSTER’S IDEAS

Mr. Brewster outlined his ideas, submitting that tins County Council might take over the Power Board and drainage, the Hospital and Harbor Boards to be in one. He questioned if in a larger body with, say, only eight members, would get the same amount of perspnal touch. , N Referring to the proposed representation, Mr. Norris said he was afraid the issue of town versus country would arise The chairman: That is one of the questions yet to be settled. He added tnfct he felt sure even then that the people would support the best men, but not on the popular vote as at present, when contests were fought over some trifle.

Mr. Scott, Borough Council: The same as in the Parliamentary elections. The chairman: The Parliamentary system is rotten, and politics are at a very low ebb.

Mr. Galbraith, Borough Council, thought the weakness of the scheme lay in having one system for the whole district, for what might suit the borough might not suit the county. The references to the Provincial Council did not apply, for the head was not appointed by the ratepayers but by the King’s representative. They could not get such a man now.

The chairman: The suggestioji—and after all it is only a suggestion—is that if the regional council has none of the members qualified to administer the district. then it should get an outside man.

• Mr. Glendinning: A man who has no axe to grind. i Mr Pryde, Drainage Board, was in favor .of sQjne amalgamation, but would like fo know if the new body would conserve his board’s surplus for the benefit of the fanners.

Mr Norris said that in the past they had. fought-for certain representation land nqw proposed to give it'up. He j favored some amalgamation if he was sure of conserving the representation of the county on the new body. Some of them, like himself/ only knew one part of the district. They might easily get a council of .all residents of the town or near it. He did not believe in a council that only met three <r four times a year, for the members would get out of touch with the work. .Mr Robinson, Borough Council, said they ought to call for the opinion of each local -body on the question. «' TIME TO MAKE A MOVE ’' .Mr .Glendinning said he would like, to hear Mr Nolan and Mr Chamberlain first. Tho latter stated the council would -be elected on a ratepayer’s basis only, and on the preferential system. Mr Nolan said he was in favor of amalgamation by the formation of a regional -council so as to get greater efficiency for one thing. He thought it was time they made a move, as no doubt Parliament must do so soon, and he had no doubt something could be achieved if they went on. He felt it could, and they should tackle it. They could make better arrangements for their own district than the Government could. ■ It would bo better for the Wairoa local bodies to act now, the chief factors being economy and increased efficiency, while preserving community of interest. He would, -of [course, like to see . this done nationally. ’ The regional council plan as [laid down in the Town-Planning Act would suit Wairoa.

Mr Brewster deprecated the limitation to eight members and suggested a scheme -by which all the work might bo concentrated in one office, yet preserving the present bodies to some extent.

The chairman, in reply to a question, said it might take two years to get the scheme fully in operation, but in six months or so the new body would Ore in a position to collect the rates. They were not tied to having only eight members.

Mr Brewster said they would lost tho personal touch, which was of great value, and they should try first the way he had suggested and save tinlocal representation. Mr Nolan said there was no fov that they would lose sight of the humanitarian aspect.

The chairman said one suggestion was that a sub-committee of tie 1 regional council would look after hospital affairs. After Messrs. Ormond, Brewster and Pryde had carried on the discussion on this aspect for some time, Mr Glendinning mentioned a possibility in ease of Government action which would not be in the best interests of Wairoa, but he gave in his adhesion to the establishment of a regional council, not only to save costs, but to get better administration. MANAGER AND RATES Mr Ormond said There was nothing in sight better than the old Provincial Council. There was now great waste of time in correspondence. The manager would be on his job every day of the week. , . The opinion was also expressed. in several quarters that £BOO was too high a. salary for a manager, and that a good man could 'be secured for £6OO. The chairman .replied that the committee had estimated on the high side for safety. In reply to Cr. Norris, the chairman explained how special rates could be dealt with, and added that if, say, the Power Board’s affairs were merged in a larger body their representations would have far more weight in Wellington. Mr J. M. Taylor endorsed Mr Ormond’s ideas, touching ion the fact that many meetings had now been held and nothing had -been done. They were .setting out on a big thing to try and lead New Zealand, and he felt they ought to go softly. Why should they ■conomise to save the Government! Wairoa had done its bit in local government. It was a big step out to a .egional council, the salary figure was too high, for the salary did not always find the man. Eight members were not sufficient, but lie could not help admitting the district was n good one for grouping into a larger body. He was not in favor of going ahead at once, -but considered they should give the committee a mandate to find out what the rest of New Zealand was going to do. 'SUGGESTED AMALGAMATIONS Mr J. Corkill, Harbor Board/admitted the need for some -amalgamation, but doubted if town and country interests could be served by one body. The number -could be cut down by merging the Power Board, or abolishing it entirely, for power boards wore the r ust extravagant bodies ever created,

ml that was the settled opinion of a very shrewd man, Mr Mason Chambers. The County Council and Borough Council could not -be combined, but if the Power Board was disbanded the county and borough could purchase current from the Government and distribute it cheaply. It was possible for, the Borough Council to take the Harbor Board, and the County Council the Drainage Board, all being rating bodies. Mr. Galbraith, Borough' Council, said he took Mr. Oorkill’s view, and felt they were grasping at a shadow in hard times, and this was not the time to establish a regional council, though they a lit be able to absorb some of the local ies if the Government went iuto a national scheme. Town and country interests should not bo combined. He would not favor Wairoa being made a trying-out ground. Mr. G. deV. Robinson said he was disappointed at the savings shown as being far too small. Local representation was very valuable, and should not lightly be thrown away. A lot of work had been done bv local men on the several bodies, all for nothing. He would like the committee to go further to show how greater savings could be effected. TOWN v. COUNTRY FEELING Archdeacon M. W. Butterfield, Hospital Board, said they should entirely eliinin ate the town v. country feeling, which was really an artificial line. There should bo nothing of that, for they were all one community, and if they could elimiuate this divided feeling it would be of great value. The regional council was an excellent idea, both as regarded initiative and in the carrying out of a settled policy by a manager not elected by the ratepayers, possibly, hut by the Government. The Government would have full knowledge of where the best men were to be found.

Mr. Glendinning, Power Board, said any scheme by which they could cut expenses would be welcome. He was sorry no figures had been supplied regarding the outside staffs, thje biggest saving being in the engineering departments. He supported having two bodies, the County Council taking the Harbor Board and Drainage Board, and the Borough Council the Hospital Board. .He did not fear any loss of personal touch, for there were men and women here who could be depended on for that. . Mr. Dickie, County Council, said the question was a big, one, and the saving shown was not great. The main thing was would amalgamation be a saving to the ratepayers? Would the profits go to the Government? If there would be a saving to the farmers, he would agree at once.

Mr. Scott, Borough Council, said some amalgamation was needed, but on tho figures he was not satisfied as to the savings, if any, and he could not vote on tho question. A council of eight was very small, and would they get the same service by meeting once in three months? Mr. Brady took up the same view, holding that the Borpugh Council and the County Council should each operate in their own sphere. He could not support any other idea for the moment. PERSONAL TOUGH NECESSARY Mr. Tapper, while admitting the need for economy and greater efficiency, asked if they would better what they had today. He favored some scheme that would preserve the district representation; the personal touch should not be eliminated. Mr. Qhristenisen appeared to be in doubts as to whether they would not be better off by joining in with Napier or Gisborne. Mr. Gemmell favored amalgamation, eveii if it only left the County Council and the Borough Council. The Government had some ideas in this direction, and Wairoa should give it a trial. The saving expected was only a small part of the advantages to be gained. Mr. W. J. Hill, County Council, said the only thing that impressed him was that if they did not all fall into line something else would come about that they would not like. No doubt it might be 'difficult to find the right man for manager, but it was not impossible; a man of tact was needed, and a local man was preferable to an outsider. He would support the amalgamation; all would go wed under a careful man.

Mr Chamberlain said he thought there had now been enough talk, and it was time they affirmed or otherwise the principle of amalgamation. The subject had been under discussion for 12 or to years but bad been lost sight of since Sir Joseph Ward was in power. If they outlined a reasonable amalgamation the Government would take them at their word and assist. Details might just now obscure.the issue, and it would take a couple of months to get ready a workable system, but he would not like to see anything done that would injuriously affect the heads of the present staffs until' some other positions were found for them.

Mr. Gillespie endorsed these views, and said he felt there must soon be a national scheme, and they should fall into line at once.

After a resume by the chairman, it was decided unanimously, on the motion of Mr. J. M. Taylor, seconded by Mr. Norris, “That this meeting favors the principle of amalgamation and hereby sets up a committee to draw up the lines on which the principle shall be put into effect.’’ On Mr. Chamberlain’s suggestion it was decided to first ask the other local bodies to affirm the principle and appoint two delegates to draw up a workable scheme, tho delegates to meet on Friday, August 18, at 10.30 a.m at the Borough Council chambers.

The chairman expressed the hope that every local body would ratify the principle.