THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1924. A COMING DEVELOPMENT.

Wairarapa Age, 30 October 1924, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1924. A COMING DEVELOPMENT.

At the municipal conference at Auckland the Mayor of Dunedin sounded a warning and a protest against what he described as the interference of the Public Works Department in the activities of local bodies. He cited particularly the oversight of the Department over tramway undertakings in the cities, and suggested that some of the energy thus displayed could more reasonably be applied to control-’ ling the motor bus companies with which the trams are being brought into competition. As regards the larger cities the need for departmental control may not be so pressing, for most of them are capable of paying the best engineering talent to advise them. But on the general question of the iuterferenee of the department .with local bodies, we are Afraid that this is a development which must be faced. That is not to say that local government is to be suppressed. In New Zealanders the penchant for local government is so strong that this would not be tolerated; but any thinking man who can study the trend of local government and the necessity for co-ordination in developmental works if the Dominion is to get the best results from the investment of its borrowed money must admit that something is required in the way of a controlling authority. Now that the Minister ■ has brought this matter into the sphere of practical polities those interested in local government will naturally give it careful thought, and no doubt the problem will work itself out satisfactorily.