LOCAL BODIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 26, 28 May 1912, Page 2

LOCAL BODIES.

THE RECENT CONFERENCE. Following arc extracts from the speech of the Hon. C. AV. Russell, Minister for Internal Affairs, in opening tho conference recently held in Wellington to consider the new Local Government Bill: The subject we have to deal with is the reform of local government in tho Dominion. It is one of vast importance, because local government comes home to the people day by day, and reaches them in their daily life to a far greater degree than docs the general (or central) Government. 1 fully recognise the work that is being done by the local governing bodies of the. country—work that is done without? any reward, and often with but little recognition in the way of honour. And yet it is a work upon which has depended' the expansion of settlement, the pushing back of tho confines of civilisation, the development of the interior, and tho general progress of the people of New Zealand.

Upon such an occasion as tin's one cannot help glancing back to the record of past days. History tells us how first this country obtained Responsible Government, and how subsequently, through the genius and statesmanship of Sir George Grey, the Provinces were established. Although the Provinces then were isolated centres of settlement, without the con-st-ant 1 communication by rail and post and telegraph of modern days, the Provincial Governments did splendid work in developing the different sections of New Zealand to the extent and in the manner they did. Supported as they were by the Land Fund—the revenue largely provided by the sales of - the State lands, which were passed over to them—they were- able to do excellent work in thir day ami generation. They left a record of good service. Hut in due time conditions changed. The Provinces were found to be proving a disadvantage in the government of the country rather than a means of progress, and in 1876 they were abolished and the County system was established. That system has been in force ever since. Jt was intended as a means of providing for the government of the. rural districts of the Dominion, side by side with the municipal form of government provided for the towns and cities, while the Town Boards were, established as n means of leading up to municipalities in growing centres.

For n number of years chore has boon a loud outcry for reform in local government, but those, who have boon most active in raising the cry have not been precise in their/ statement of what they considered was wanting. There has simply been a general outcry for reform; but when the speakers have beoii asked to state in what direction they considered reform could most effectively be introduced the oracles have boon silent. What have those who have cried out for local government reform meant? Have they wanted fewer local bodies with enlarged powers, and cheaper administration ? Or has it been merely a desire to get higher subsidies from the State?

Here it may not bo inappropriate if I place before you a list of the public bodies engaged in carrying on the local government of the million or so of people who constitute the population of New Zealand, as follows:

Borough Councils 113 County Councils (Act not in oporation in 9) 115 Road Boards 119 Town Boards 50 River Boards 38 Land . Drainage Boards 41 Water Supply Boards 41 City and Suburban Drainage Boards 3 Harbour Boards 32 Tramway Boards 2 Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards • • ... 37 Fire Boards - ... ■ ... 20 Rabbit Boards ... 3 Rabbit-proof Fencing Board ... ,1 Domain Boards (Lands Commissioner), (approximate) ... ... 525 Cemetery Boards JtJrown Lands), (approximate) 600 Education Boards • ... 13 School Committees (approximate) 2100 College and High School Boards 23 University Collego Councils ... 4 T °tal 3877

Assuming bliat the above Tiotliof have an average membership of six, ive have 23,262 persons engaged in some form or other of local government in the Dominion, or one out o! every forty-three persons iof 'the entire population, or probably,' if we take the adult, male ...population, one in about every fifteen.

I now come to the question c.r economy of administration, and I tliink the figures that I have to lay before the Conference will be of sufficient importance to warrant my making at litis •stage detailed reference to the results as shown by the Statistical Department of the Government.

The total receipts of all the ordin ary local government bodies in Xev, Zealand during the year ending 31st March, 1911, were C 5,128,070. There can be no doubt that tin Road Boards, some of the Town Hoards, the River Hoards, and the, Land Drainage Boards should Ik capable. n f being absorbed by the County Councils; and where the functions and responsibilities of River Boards, Land Drainage Boards, and Water Supply Hoards extend over and beyond the existing County boundaries, a simple method of grouping the Counties interested for the particular purpose of dealing \vTth the water supply should easily be found, in order that the bodies to which I have referred might be absorbed and

consolidated with the Counties. Increased powers are also necessary to facilitate tho grouping of contiguous Boroughs and areas. The outlying portions of a County will not be willing to rate themselves for the purpose of providing special cvonveniences for those who may live in growing townships. Many such townships are now springing up along the North Island .Main Trunk line, and it is desirable that an opportunity should be given for the development of this class of village or locality. The form of government should be of the simplest class—simpler even than the English Parish Councils. Town Districts are more like imitation boroughs than is desirable. I think, therefore, that the local committees which I suggest might be elected more on the method of school committees, by an annual meeting of residents; that the district should be not more than, say, two miles square, and should have a population of at least a hundred resident ratepayers; that the powers of the body should he confined to such questions as streets, lighting, local drainage and scavenging, libraries, baths, footpaths, and similar matters. Tho local committee should have no power of rating, hut should indicate to the County Council what its requirements will be. The Council should then levy a separate rate on the district for the purpose of providing for the wants of the' inhabitants as indicated by the local committee, and the administration should he in the hands of the County Council.

The leading feature of the Bill, so far as its policy proposals arc concerned, is undoubtedly that for tho establishment of Provincial Councils.

For a long time past there has been a cry throughout the country that centralisation had become too general in connection with the Government of this country; and it is quite true that ever since the Provinces were abolished there has been a . tendency to centralise the power and influence of the Government in this city. We all desire to see a. spirit of truly local' self-governn%>nt established amongst the people of this country. But the problem is, how can this be supplied with the existing local authorities? It is entirely opposed to public sentiment, and it is unthinkable that the cities should have, as N such, any power or authority over the rural districts, and consequently there is no body that stands between the units of self-gov-ernment formed by the municipalities and the counties on the one hand and the central government on the other. The question is whether it is desirable and possible to create bodies which shall stand between these two opposing poles and provo effective in assisting the government of the counfcry, I believe that one effect of the establishment of these provinces would bo, that the division of interest between town and country, which has become so marked during the last twenty-live years, would probably disappear, and that the people of the provinces would begin to regard the cities and towns to which they belonged with pride, instead of with jealousy and envy. The provincial councils would again become, as in days past, an excellent training-ground for public men, who would thus gain experience in a larger field than the municipal or county council, with a view to taking part in the public life of this country.

One of the main proposals of the Bill is the creation of a local government board; and, as this has been very adversely criticised by some of the district conferences that have taken place, T think it may be desirable that I should deal somewhat I'ully with this proposal.

Hitherto all the function proposed to be exercised by this Board have been performed either by the Minister of Internal Affairs or by 'the Governor in Council. .

The object, of setting up the Local Government Board is to place upon a responsible body of men, to a very large extent, the functions that have been hitherto exercised by the Minister or the Cabinet. There is a precedent of a most important kind for the setting-up <of the Local Government Board, for such a body exists in England, and, as you know, is presided over by the Right Hon. John Burns. The English Local Government Board, which possesses enormous powers dealing with the :n----ternal and domestic affairs of England, consists of the president (the Right ITon. John Burns) and a -umber of high officers of State, including the president of the Privy Council, the holden of the Privy Seal, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the principal Secretaries of State. ' They however, arc to a large extent merely figureheads, for all'power'is vested in the president, and, subject to him, in tlio Parliamentary ' Secrotarv, the Permanent Secretary, and the five assistant Secretaries. One of the functions that may have to be placed upon that Board will lathe consideration of flic of town-planning. When the Townplanning Bill was before hist year it was suggest.ml tl't.t a Local Government Board should lie established for such purpn; s ;,i ~ ! know of no question that is more important in con.-.idoration -f 1:0 Inturc- of New Zealand than :•. f.-i,pn system of town-planning - ~:<! 1 l>cl perfectly sure that if this question could be handed over to the const l< ration of a Local Government Board, S'.ibiect to the undoubted rights :iid responsibilities of the localities aiF.'-fc-er ,it would 1 •-• far better th ;n ti.a't it should bo i ft in th-i n- mis of the Governor «n Com til. ; In bringlfn; my romailn :i .1 cmi elusion 1 deST ehieflv to «li"lch .'bat may !.<• regarded as lit:' ,<alienl ... 1

j points of tha proposals which an J placed before you. J They are . .-, toho'ws : (1) To endeavour to secure econom; in the local government of the Donun ion by abolishing superfluous fiid un necessary bodies, and combining then functions with those of larger bodies wliose usefulness and necessity are undoubted. (2) To create a large: c ■>-> ..' the Dominion and the Parliament, and upon which can be placed responsibilities and duties which arc now necessarily undertaken by the General Government, which bodies v.ili deal with subjects of special ?nt rest to the provinces over rt'Heh. they ale placed. (3) To endeavour to remove the ;.;.- fortunate difference of inter- \t tri/U has grown up l twee' t:.e cities Hid leading towns >'d tu-.r tac» country, and to unite the natural gi"ipinnf of the Doiii ni'-i into consolidated bodies, whise interests will be practically the same. (4) To provide a means by which the varying interests of the Dominior

may bo provided for by local self-go vernment of a more advanced typ< than we have at present. (5) To endeavour to amalgamate" un der one body the services of Education, Harbour, and Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, thus securing a larger field of public life and th( consolidation of local services undei one experienced body, with one administrative head, and one staff. (6) To secure, if possible, som< measure of control over borrowings o: local authorities, in order that .extravagances and luxuries may not he undertaken which will place unnecessary burdens upon the populations o! the future. (7) To endeavour to ascertain whe ther any means can be devised by which undeveloped portions of the country may lie assisted to a greater degree than hitherto in the mattei of roads, bridges, etc., by placing tli. system of subsidies and Government J grants upon a sounder and more scien-

tiiic footing than at present. (8) To endeavour to create a son si: of responsibility with regard to local government, its cost, burdens, etc.. upon the part of the people of the Dominion. J will only add that this Bill is noi intended as the last word on local government: it is a basis for discus sion of the whole question. I trusi Lhat that discussion will lie not on natters of detail, but on genera! principles. Finally, I hope that nc attempt will be made to consider this question from the standpoint of political party, but that we shall unite in seeking to find a method of local government worthy of this conference, and, above all, worthy, of the great country which has been committed tc rar trusteeship. SOME STATISTtCS. The following figures are culled fron papers presented to the conference ol local bodies recently held in Wellington : Receipts and Expenditure of Respee tive Classes of Local Authorities far year ending March 31st, 1911. Receipts Expenditure £ £ All boroughs ... 2,070,822 2,398,27 c bounties alone ... 1,080,575 980,252 boroughs loss than 3000 ... 412,098 347,730 Boroughs over 3000 2,258,123 2,050,54£ Counties with road and town district 842,420 731,300 Road districts... 200,302 173,75 f Town districts ... 70,350 69,957 River districts ... 21,321 22,728 Land drainage ... 49,995 30,037 Harbour districts 1,154,250 1,275,404 City and suburban drainage ... 100,148 179,70! Water supply ... 8,245 8,85- : Summary of Receipts and Expend! tnre of all Local Authorities. Receipts: £ General Rates 1,117,398 Special and separate rates 474,18! Licenses, tolls, rents and other sources ... 1,829,61 , r Raised from Government 229,01] Receipts not revenue ... 1,776,95? Total 5,428,07 f Expenditure: £ On Public Works ...2,974,68? Management ... ... 333,501: Grants to road, town or river boards ... ... 6,818 Other expenditure ... 1,823,964 Total 5,138,970 Comparison of Receipts of Local Bodies in 1901 and 1911. 1901 1911 Rates ... 734,023 1,592,001 Licenses, etc. ... 751,040 1,941,655 Government ... 108,785 230.07 C Total revenue ..: 1,053,85! 3,764,326 Receipts not revenue ... 825,039 1,776,958 Total receipts ... 2,-178,893 5,541,284 Statement of Loans Raised By Local Authorities up to March 31st, 1911. Under 4 per cent ... 89,000 4 per cent ... 4,702,540 ■l} per cent. ... 1,899,080 4.J per cent. ... 37,000 41 per cent. ... 4,187,000 43 per cent. ... 121,350 5 cent. .... 3,130,130 5.' per cent. ... 35,950 5.J per cent. ... 89,693 0 per cent. ... 1,133,870 7 per cent. ... 2,000 15,727.013 From Government 101.103 Total 10,131,770 Statement Showing Total Amount to date Borrowed by Each Description of Local Authority. Counties ... ... 185,031 Boroughs ... ... 8,399,327 '.'own Board.; ... 74,205

Road Boards ■■• '",/ i<> River Boards --- 27,350 Land Drainage ... 42,8-27 City Drainage •-- 865,000 Water Supply ... 15,200 Tramway Board ... 447,000 Harbour Boards ... 6,002,400 Total ... ... 16,131,776 ■ Table showing the Revenue of Local Governing Bodies derived from Bates, Licenses, and other Taxes during the Year 1910-11. £ s. d. C unities ... ... 611,944 9 6 B>roughs ... -. 841,742 0 2 Town Boards ... 26,121 6 0 Riafl Boards ... 100,935 18 9 River Boards --- 9,829 15 11 Land Drainage Boards 12,900 15 5 Tin-hour Boards ... 34,803 18 6 City and Suburban Drainage Boards ... 54,398 6 6 Tramway Boards ... 714 3 i 1 Water supply Boards 7,444 14 7 Totals 1,700,835 8 4 _