MOA COUNTY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144776, 4 September 1915, Page 4

MOA COUNTY.

THE PROPOSAL REJECTED. BY HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES. BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, Sept. 3. In the House to-day, Mr. Pearce, chairman of the Local Bills Committee, brought up tho committee’s report on the Moa County Bill, which recommended that tho Bill be not allowed to proceed. Mr. Kino moved that the Bill be referred back to the committee for further consideration. Ho stated that the decision of the committee had been arrived at largely under the influence of the Minister of. Internal Affairs, who had visions of a new Local Government Bill under which many of the smaller counties would be nursed into larger counties, but until such Bill was passed into law it was unfair to the people of this district to prevent them having a county of their own. Mr. Ell favoured 1 small counties, claiming that there was always more effective administration over small areas than over largo ones. Mr. Pearce explained that the 1 influence of the Minister did not affect the decision of the committee, which was absolutely unanimous that tho Bill should not be allowed to proceed. The establishment of tho county would only lead to a. great waste of money and a duplication of authority. That was what influenced tho committee. Mr. Russell said the Counties Conference of 1912 had. passed a resolution condemning the increase of small counties and since then the House had systematically refused to increase counties. Ho did not say the present boundaries of our counties were perfect, and thought a Royal Commission could do good work in readjusting them ' and bringing them more mto harmony with modern settlement. Both parties in the House were’committed to the reform of local government, but, in view of the full consideration this Bill had received, ho did not believe any good could bo attained by referring it . back to the committee. The report was not referred back.