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which was taking place. After considering the representations made, it was considered advisable to adjourn the inquiry sine die, but the Commission expressed the opinion that the future form of local government should be determined without undue delay. The inquiry was resumed on the 4th April, 1949. An application was made by counsel for the Hutt County Council, supported by counsel for the Hutt-Makara Branch of the Federated Farmers and the Makara County Council, for the exclusion from the scope of the inquiry of the Paremata, Plimmerton, and Pahautanui areas, mainly on the ground that consideration of the future local government in these areas was premature. It was decided to accede thereto. The areas in the Porirua Basin which the Makara County Council considered should be excluded from the county comprised approximately 4,530 acres ; the estimated population in the area, including the Porirua Mental Hospital (2,430), was 5,120 ; the estimated rateable values of the area were : capital, £1,293,960, and unimproved, £463,215. From our investigations it was evident that the major private residential development and subdivision which was taking place in the Porirua Basin was in the Tawa Flat - Linden areas. It was apparent that the Makara County Council would experience considerable difficulty in providing amenities and services in the Porirua Basin such as water-supply and sewerage systems, adequate footpaths, streets, and recreational areas. In fact, the Makara County Council considered that the levying of rates over the whole of the county to provide for the aforementioned amenities and services would be inequitable. Consideration had, however, been given by the County Council to the creation of special rating districts, but it had been the unanimous opinion of the Council that even with the application of this system of finance the administration of the rural areas could not be co-ordinated satisfactorily with that of rapidly developing urbanized areas. Evidence was submitted regarding the cost of providing amenities such as watersupply and sewerage systems, storm-water drainage, street works, and recreational facilities in the urbanized areas in the Porirua Basin. The cost of these works was estimated at approximately £2,372,000. The operating and maintenance costs following development would be in the vicinity of £50,000 per annum. Evidence was also submitted by the Railways Department in regard to the development of transport facilities, both rail and bus feeder services, in the Porirua Basin area and to the areas farther north. It was indicated that it was the Department's intention to provide multiple units which would pass through the Tawa Flat - Linden and Porirua areas, and it was envisaged that this type of service would also be extended to Onepoto, on the western side of the Porirua Harbour. The provision of modern transport will, we consider, result in the rapid acceleration of residential development in the areas to the north of Wellington, which further accentuates the need for the provision of a suitable form of urban local government in the Porirua Basin at the earliest possible date. An extra-urban planning scheme prepared by the Town Planning Section of the Ministry of Works had been undertaken, and at the time of the inquiry had received the provisional approval of the Makara County Council. This scheme provided for the planning of the Porirua Basin area, and was, in effect, similar to a town-planning scheme for an urban authority. In so far as this area was concerned, it was decided to confine our attention to the following forms of control: — (1) The inclusion of the area within the City of Wellington. (2) A form of interim control of the area in the early developmental stages, leaving the future form of local-government administration to be subsequently determined ; the three forms of interim control which were considered were — (i) By a development corporation : (ii) By a Commission of three : (iii) By a single Commissioner. (3) The setting-up of an urban local authority to govern the area.