POLICY OF LEGION

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 109, 1 February 1935, Page 12

POLICY OF LEGION

Return of Candidates to Local Bodies EXECUTIVE DECISION First Step to Non-Party Government A campaign to secure the return of candidates for various local bodies is being undertaken by the national executive of the New Zealand Legion. The legion at its last annual conference decided that the first step necessary to institute a democratic method of non-party government was to secure the reform of local government. It was contended that large and important areas of local administration should be set up in order to relieve Parliament of the consideration of many questions best dealt with by such administrations. In view of the ever-increasing range of functions exercised by or proposed to be exercised by the State, it was considered the more urgent that the structure of local and central government should be correspondingly strengthened. Apart from such considerations the necessity of relief from the burden of rates in town - and country has, the legion considers, become an urgent necessity, and such a reduction without diminution of services can be attained in any major sense only by a general overhaul 'of local government as distinct from tiny possible local action. “First Step to These Reforms.” The national executive of the legion has decided that the first step towards securing these reforms is to secure a nucleus of members actively working within the local bodies themselves. In selecting these eandidates.it is hoped to secure a number of those who, while not committed to any of the existing political parties, have had considerable practical experience in local body work. The general principles ‘.o be supported are: One: Definite distinction to be made between general administrative bodies as county and borough councils, on the one hand, and so-calle I “ad hoc” bodies carrying out only one type of administration on the other. Examples of the latter are river boards. I fire boards and hospital boards. ' Two: Two major units of local gov- I erumeut to be aimed at —one urban and one rural—shire boroughs and shires I respectively. Three: As many “ad hoe" bodies as possible to be eliminated and their powers and functions transferred to statutory committees of the shire and i shire borough councils. , Amalgamation of Local Bodies Four: Gradual amalgamation of minor local bodies—counties and boroughs—within shire and shire borough areas, where administrative eon- I venience, economy and efficiency can better be served by such amalgamation. Five: Conservation of local interests by means of a system of district committees with powers of recommendation and minor executive functions. Six: Financial adjustments to be spread over a period of yeais by means of special rating areas and other measures so that no inequitable financial burden shall fall on any district through amalgamation or alteration in status.

Seven: The principle of community of interest in the areas of all local administrations to be follewed based on the findings of the Town Planning Board Committee of 1930.