LOCAL BODY MERGER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 12

LOCAL BODY MERGER

(COMMITTEE’S REPORT

ON BILL

ipNLY ONE CLAUSE NOT

APPROVED

LEGISLATIVE EFFECT

RECOMMENDED

JFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, September 15,

With the exception of one clause, ;the Local Government (Amalgamation 'Schemes) Bill was recommended for j legislative effect by the Select Comimittee that heard evidence on the proposals. The report of the committee fwas presented to the House this afterIjnoon.

The committee recommended the of the clause placing the onus of proof of the- desirability of amalgamation on a local body objecting to - -After traversing the whole of given at pub:Jic hearings, the report states;— “Strong exception was taken by several witnesses to the provision in : clause 18 of the bill placing the onus ■of proving that an amalgamation scheme was not desirable on a local authority or person objecting to the scheme. The committee considers that this clause should be omitted. The net result would be that the commission would then be required to adjudi’cate impartially, on the evidence submitted, and its own investigations, and ; objecting local authorities would not jbe placed in a disadvantageous posijtion.

General Acceptance ? “There was very general acceptance jcf the proposals outlined in the bill. I Objections came usually from small llocal authorities who feared that they |znay lose their identity, or from people |who obviously had in mind some particular possible amalgamation scheme. IWe do not think we are Called on *to comment on the questions raised fby the Rabbit Boards’ Association, the Electric Power Boards’ Association, . and several other specific ad hoc bodies. Questions such as these must obviously be left for the examination *of the commission when particular reorganisation schemes are under consideration.

“It is clear that whatever may be '‘the machinery provided for local gov- ~ eminent reform, no amalgamations or readjustments can be hastily made. •'"They can be carried out only methodi- ? tally, and after careful consideration : of each case. We are of. opinion l that the proposals as outlined in the draft bill before the committee should be given legislative' effect, so as*, to open -the way for a solution of the admitted : problem of local government, consistent . with efficiency in administration, and also with the principles of democracy”