Plea To Counties To Stick Together

Chronicle (Levin), 14 June 1949, Page 3

Plea To Counties To Stick Together

DUNEDIN, June 13. The opinion that local government was on trial in some respects and that it did not get.all the support it deserved at times from the Government, was offered by Mr W, G. Belton, presi4ent, of the Npw Zealand Counties Assoeiation when 'he officially opened the conference of the Institute of County Engineers ip. Dunedin to-day. In their work, said Mr Belton, the engineers had to come into contaet with Government department's and coun ty officers had to work together as a team. Closer co-operatxon between various sections of the administrafion in the counties, he added, would add to the strength of the counties' organisation and be substantially to the advantage of the country. Counties, said Mr Bel *ton, should stick together to widen their sphere of influence. There were some counties in which certain works were done by Government depai'tments and he thought this was vrrong as it was_merely playing into the hands ot departments, many of which were anxious to take over as mueh as possible. This 'was apparently tlie policy of socialism ancl the counties would have to eo-operate against it. Some of the county councils themselves needed shaking up. Some of the smaller ones should be absorbed and stronger units should be built up. Mr W. G. Maekv, chairman of the institute, said the institute had as il-' object the furtherance of county goi ernment.