ADMINISTRATION COSTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19070, 18 July 1936, Page 4

ADMINISTRATION COSTS

LOCAL BODY FIGURES FARMERS* UNION COMMENT PROPOSED AMALGAMATION A reply to comment made a short time ago regarding the cost of administration of county councils was made at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the PovertyBay provincial executive of the Farmers' Union. Mr. M. T. B. Hall, with a clipping of the Poverty Bay Herald reporting _ a meeting of the executive, drew attention to remarks made by Mr. J. E. Brosnahan on the cost of administration of county councils, and said he wished to take the opportunity of correcting a wrong impression that had been created. Mr. Hall read the clipping, quoting heavy administration costs. Mr. Brosnahan: That is correct. Mr. Hall said the Year Book showed that the cost of administration in the Cook County was 3.8 per cent, in tlie Waikohu County 3.85 per cent, and the Dominion average 5.82 per cent. The cost of administration in New Zealand was reasonably low, and, as shown hi the figures given, the cost in this district was below tlie average for the Dominion, although in some areas the cost was as high as 14.33 per cent. i ALL COUN TY COUNCILS ? : 'it was not fair, he added, to allow, such statements as that made by Mr. Brosnahan to go unchallenged, as they only played into the hands of the Minister of "Public Works, the Hon. K. Semple, who seemed desirous of taking over all county councils. Mr. Brosnahan : It would he a good job, too. Mv. Hall admitted that possibly there was room for amalgamation, for instance, with the Cook and Waikohu county councils, but statements that he had pointed out were only playing into (he hands of (hose who were urging (ho abolition of county council administration. THE WAIKOHU COUNTY The president said that the position in the Cook Count" was that between 45 and 50 per cent of the rates went towards the payment of overhead charges such as interest, hospital levy and administration. Replying to Mr. Hall, Mr. Brosnahan said that' the Waikohu County Council showed its cost of administration as over £2OOO, and that did not compare with 3.85 per cent quoted by Mr. Hall. Mr.' Brosnahan added, that he had said previously that the amount was £4OOO, and he stuck to that figure, and pointed out that the engineer's department cost over CIOOO and officers of the council lived in houses rent free, while interest was being paid on various loans. If £4OOO were taken as the fisjnre. £14,000 would be eft for the administration of the county affairs, but he would be surprised if C1Q,009 remained for roads and bridges. Mr. Brosnahan explained that he was not making an attack on the Waikohu County Council, but on the system. The discussion then lapsed.