CITY GOVERNMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 32, 30 April 1927, Page 9

CITY GOVERNMENT

"TOO MANY BOARDS*’

MR. BLOODWORTH’S OPINION “WATER BOARD NOT NEEDED” “Although I became a member of the Auckland Power Board at its inception, 1 am still opposed to Its formation, holding that it was not desirable to take the control of power away from the principal consumer.” In making the above statement Mr. T. Blood worth stated that he knew of few advantages arising from the establishment of separate boards. On the other hand, administration costs were greatly increased. Referring to complaints made by outside local bodies in regard to profits made from the water supply, Mr. Bloodworth said that the greater portion of the profit was made out of city residents, and comparatively only a small amount from the outside districts. In return for that small profit outside residents were able to avail themselves of many of the privileges provided by the city ratepayers, such as parks, etc., and for which they were not asked to contribute.

GREATER AUCKLAND COMING . In reply to Mr. A. H. Johnstone, representing Auckland City Council. Mi - . Bloodworth said that the elected representatives on the outside local bodies did not very much desire to come into the city, but he believed that quite a lumber of the outside residents desired to come in. He considered that Greater Auckland would come sooner or later, but at the same time was of the opinion that a water board would considerably retard that movement. Following the setting up of a water board he considered it was more than likely that a transport board would follow. “All these boards,” said Mr. Bloodworth, “would want their own offices in Queen Street, their own officers and also their own legal advisers.” 1

Mr. A. H. Johnstone: I have no complaint about the latter.

ANOTHER VIEW MORE BOARDS REQUIRED ‘‘Following the establishment -of a water board,” said Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mt. Eden, "I would like to see a transport board and a tramway board set up.” Giving evidence at yesterday afternoon’s sitting of the Water Commission, Mr. Potter said 'that he was ot the opinion that the tramways were not run economically and that control by a separate board was absolutely necessary. “But I am not at all hostile to the council,” added Mr. Potter. . . .. Dealing with the question of the proposed water board Mr. Potter said that to supply an area of 600 miles the Waikato supply was the best one in sight. In that area. Cambridge and Hamilton would be included. Mr. Johnstone: “And when you included those towns in the proposal are you quite aware of the fact that Cambridge had just got a supply of its own? Would you put water supplies into Cambridge and Hamilton at the expense of the Auckland City Council Mr Potter stated that the scheme would have to be taken as a whole, the lean areas with the good. The towns would carry out their own reticulation, the board merely giving them the supplies. In his opinion it was not so much a question of cheapness as of purity, and a guarantee of a good supply. ... Mr. Johnstone: I take it then that you will saddle Queen Street with the country districts? Mr. Potter: We are doing it on the Power Board. Air. Johnstone: Yes, but because you make one error there is no use in making two. POWER CHARGES Questioned regarding the attitude of his council toward the Auckland City Council, Mr. Potter said that there was absolutely no hostility whatsoever. Reverting to the question of the Power Board. Mr. Potter admitted that the charges made to the Auckland City Council were about the highest ir. New Zealand. "The City Council,” he said composed of business men and it was all fixed up by Act of Parliament. Mr. Johnstone: Why don’t you reduce them? , Mr. Potter: Because we consider that the tramways are not economically run. f ... . !f Mr. Johnstone: So you will make it impossible for them to run the ~ramwavs economically in the meantime. 1 suppose you would do the same sort of thing with the Water Boaxa. Questioned by Mr. Rogerson regarding the charges made by the Electric Power Board to the Auckland City Council. Mr. Potter said that the charges were fixed by the Auckland City Council when the board was formed.

CONTENTION SUPPORTED EFFICIENCY NOT INCREASED That an increase in the number of local bodies only added to administrative costs without adding to the efficiency of public services, was the opinion expressed by Mr. W. J worth, chairman Auckland Electric Power Board and ex-chairman of

the Auckland City Council Tramways and Water Committee. Questioned regarding the formation of the Auckland Electric Power Board, Mr. Holds worth said that the formation of the board arose through the desire of the Government to deal with one central body instead of a number of local bodies. He considered that in the future transport and water services would present big problems. *To-day the difficulties were fairly acute, and as chairman of the committee dealing with water and transport services he realised that anomalies always existed where a number of local bodies existed. The formation of a water board, he considered would not only be unfair to the City Council who had developed the Waitakere supply, but it would also result in another local body being set up. _

In his opinion the only solution offering was the control of such services by one large controlling body. The various departments could be controlled by committees appointed and with tile election of councillors under a ward system, suitable representation would be provided as well as additional interest being created in the election of councillors. GREATER EXPENSE That a multiplicity of local bodies made for greater administration costs was also contended by Mr. Holdsworth, who instanced the case of one borough council which had an office staff of four, while the clerical work of another area of similar size which was taken into the city was carried out by one ' g i r l He also considered that it every street had its own local body it would receive no better treatment. He was quite certain that if there had been a greater metropolitan area there w ouid have been no need for a power board The increase of boards and other -ooal bodies, he considered, only increased the difficulty of bringing about amalSa, That the rating by a number of local hndies over one area was not desirable was the opinion expressed by Mr. W Wallace, chairman of the Aucaiand Hospital Board. . .. •i' am and always was in favoui ol a Greater Auckland,” said Mr. .Y<.iface “and that control should be vested in one body. In my opinion the formation of a water board may retard that movement.”