Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, MAR. 11, 1936. LOCAL BODY REFORM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18961, 11 March 1936, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, MAR. 11, 1936. LOCAL BODY REFORM

In tin' course of a discussion in Par liainent a year or so ago it was stated that the Minister of Internal Affair: might achieve fame if lie tackled tin question of local body reform. There have been political changes since that statement was made’and the port folic .is held by a new Minister, but the opportunity of earning distinction in the direction mentioned is as great to-day as it ever was. Judging by his comments at the Municipal Confer once 1 ist week, Mr. Parry is going to make a determined bid for distinc lion and if lie succeeds—where so many of his predecessors have failed—he will earn the applause and merit the approbation of the public. When the Minister remarked that there were too many local bodies in existence) today, he was merely echoing words that have been used so frequently that they have become trite, and when lie stated that one of the first tasks of the Labour Government would be to effect reforms he was repeating claims that have been made on behalf of every Government that has held office in recent years. With this knowledge before him, the public may be inclined to be a little sceptical, but Mr. Parry’s evident appreciation of the importance of the question and his understanding of some of its complexities encourages a belief that he will not lest content until at least some progress has been innde in dealing with it. . The present system of local government, as the Minister pointed out, is. sixty years old, and there have been remarkably few changes in it to meet modern requirements. On the contrary, there has been, it somewhat haphazard growth along the old lines until there are now no fewer than 680 local bodies functioning in a country with a population of little more than a million and a half. Under such conditions, it is inevitable that there should be waste and overlapping in expenditure and administration, with a consequent lack of efficiency and an unnecessarily heavy burden imposed upon ratepayers. Recognition of the existence of the problem and the need for remedying it, however, is merely the first stage, and difficulties in the past have not been due to a failure to appreciate the need for action but to inability to devise an acceptable method of procedure. “Where the problem really lies," said Mr. Parry at Napier, “is in commencing the work of abolishing unnecessary local authorities and thereby laying the foundations of our future system." Other Ministers have been confronted with the same obstacle. They have been imbued with a reforming zeal probably equal to that of Air. Parry, but they have not known where to start and their ultra-cautious approach has resulted in nothing being done. The main difficulty seems to have been the opposition of local body members, who, while approving the principle of amalgamations and reforms, remain convinced that nothing should be done that would disturb the tatus cither of their particular bodies or of themselves as local administrators. Jealousy of parochial privileges, commendable though it might be in some ways, and an element of personal pride, are the main stumbling blocks to the institution of reforms, and it is these feel-

ings that have to oe overcome or over-ridden. Last week's conference ■if t.lie Municipal Association not only expressed satisfaction at the 'Minister’s comments Imt also carried two remits dealing witli the question, one advocating consideration of some scheme of amalgamation and the other urging an investigation into all aspects of local body government. To this extent, therefore, there is accord between the Minister and municipalities, but the antagonism of rural boards and councils, which offer the widest scope for reform, has still to be overcome, and there is .still a need to reach agreement, on the procedure to be followed. In the past, Ministerial proposals have generally been confined to the setting up of a commission, but Mr. Parry has no time for commissions and believes that there is sufficient, information already available to enable the Government to proceed without further delay. There is much to be said in favour of a direct, attack, but the serious possibility of injustice and confusion arising from arbitrary decisions which might disregard local conditions cannot be overlooked. There must, at

least, be local inquiry bv an independent tribunal and the Minister would be wise to seek a compromise between a commission and bureaucratic, injunctions. This could bd jtchieyed by appointing a peregrinating magistrate or other official, who, sitting in a manner similar to an assessment court, could make recommendations for each of the districts visited. This process might not meet all the requirements of the situation, but it should at least facilitate the amalgamation of many of the existing controlling authorities, and would, at the same time, pave the way for more complicated reforms, since the investigating officer, before lie had proceeded very far with his work, should be in a position to frame a comprehensive report for consideration by the Government. Whether or not this course is adopted, the public will welcome Mr. Parry’s assurance that definite action is to be taken, and the Minister, for his part, may rest assured that his plans meet with general approval in principle and will be somewhat eagerly awaited in detail.