LOCAL BODIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23346, 1 November 1945, Page 4

LOCAL BODIES

Survey Of Areas And Functions Standing Commission Suggested Parliamentary Committee’s Report (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 31. The report of the Local Government Committee was laid on the table of the House of Representatives this afternoon by the chairman. Mr R. McKeen, who said that the members of the committee had been keen to do the work bestowed on them by the Government and they showed that they understood the problems confronting local bodies in the Dominion

which required investigation. Mr McKeen expressed his thanks to the acting-chairman, Mr D. W. Coleman, who presided over the meetings of the South Island committee, and said that the committee as a whole was indebted to the local bodies of the Dominion for the co-operative way in which they' presented their evidence and provided every facility for helping the committee's work.* More than 300 local bodies appeared before the committee, which took 2000 foolscap pages of evidence as. well as a great quantity of verbal evidence which amounted to 1600 foolscap pages. One of the principal recommendations the committee made was the setting up of a permanent local government commission to organise the functions of the local bodies of the Dominion. Although the report was a unanimous one, that did not indicate that the members had no differences of opinion. There were some sharp differences, but all the committee’s work had been carried out harmoniously. Mr McKeen paid a tribute to the secretary of the committee. Mr F. B. Stephens, and his staff, all of whom had worked long hours to keen abreast of the committee. The compilation of the report rested with Mr Stephens, who was one of the ablest officers in the Public Service to-dav. It was sincerely' hoped that the report would be of value to the country. One of the fundamental impressions he received as a result of listening to the evidence placed before the committee was the close harmony which existed between local bodies and the Department of Internal Affairs. He considered it was essential that a Department should be established to deal exclusively with local body problems.

Far-reaching- Proposals Mr W. J. Polson, who was a member of the committee, said the House would appreciate the enormous amount of work done when it realised that the report consisted of about 200 pages in small print. He also paid a tribute to Mr Stephens and his staff, “who did the work while the committee supplied the trimmings.” He presumed that the Prime Minister would afford the House an opportunity of discussing the report, which contained in some respects revolutionary recommendations. It was a matter for congratulation that the OldxCountry had reached the same conclusion as the committee did, that a permanent local government commission should be set up to deal with local body affairs. Tire Hon. W. E. Parry: All great minds think alike. Mr Polson said the committee had found some solutions to local body and hospital rating problems—solutions which were at least a compromise to those who were seeking relief from rating generally. He was pleased with the close attention the Minister of Internal Affairs gave to the committee. Mr Parry asked if a day could be set aside to discuss the report and give members of the committee an opportunity of explaining the conclusions reached. Mr Fraser replied that there was no doubt that the report was an important one and that the committee had worked efficiently, harmoniously and co-operatively. The request was a fair one, and he undertook to arrange a dav for a debate. Mr W. T. Anderton reported to the House the Local Government Committee’s appreciation of Mr McKeen’s chairmanship and Mr Coleman's deputy-chairmanship, and Mr McKeen reported the committee’s appreciation of the services of Mr Stephens and the staff associated with him. Committee’s Recommendations The setting up of a Local Government Commission, consisting of three salaried members, the chairman to have the status of a Judge of the Supreme Court, is one of the main recommendations of the committee. It is proposed that one member of the Commission should be appointed by the Government because of his knowledge of local government, and the third member appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the various national associations of local bodies.

“The Commission,” states the report, “should have the responsibility of carrying out a survey of the problem of area and function of all local authorities in the Dominion and of drawing up schemes for the reorganisation. The Commission should not merely deal with the amalgamation of like bodies, but also with the absorption of internal bodies, such as rabbit, drainage, and fire boards, by the territorial local authority and, generally, with the areas and functions of local bodies in the Dominion. “We recommend that when such a Commission is set up. the problems of Auckland and Christchurch, and of hospital boards should be among the first to be dealt with.

“The Commission is to be responsible to Parliament, its reports are to lie on the table of the House for 30 days, and if not objected to, to become law. If objected to by a local body through its members of Parliament, specific questions under discussion should be submitted to a committee of the House, which -would have the right, if necessary, to amend the report in any particular. Once the report is adopted by the House it should become law. “It is recognised that to t>ut this recommendation into operation will require legislation, and we recommend that this legislation be proceeded with during the present session of Parliament. It is not considered that statutory action will be necessary in every case of reorganisation if adequate powers are given to the Commission. “We do not consider that a poll of ratepayers should be required subsequent to the findings of the Commission.”