A GREATER CITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 128, 1 June 1937, Page 8

A GREATER CITY

MERGER SCHEME

TAKING IN HUTT VALLEY

ONE LOCAL BODY

The suggestion that Greater Wellington should embrace the Hulk Valley and Eastbourne was made by Mr/ C. A. L. Treadwell (president)^at the annual meeting of the Wellington Ratepayers' Association lastr evening. Such a scheme, he said, would lead to greater administrative efficiency and. a reduction in the burden of taxation.

"We have, as one of our special duties, that of keeping cost of ■local government down," he said; , "This is a time when local bodies should be consolidated. I am inclined to think that a great many local bodies operating in the Wellingtons district should...be. merged: I used to hear the arguments for and against the amalgamation of the boroughs of Hutt and Petone; they., are always flirting with the,ldea, but it is always "rejected by the borough which finds it has more development effected, or its taxation is lower.; To me, it seems that that old dispute* might be ended, not by their mutual merger, but by the merger of this city with both those boroughs, Eastbourne, and the Upper Hutt. ONE BODY AMPLE. "Is it riot clear that the city of Wellington ought to comprehend the Hutt Valley? One administrative body should be ample. It would have representatives from these boroughs to guard or advocate their interests. Likewise, this single administrative, bodyshould control the whole of the :; hospital service in the district. I see no reason why a hospital committee of the City Council should not administer the affairs of the public hospital in ail its phases. Moreover, the way in which a hospital board can impose its taxation is, I think, quite wrong. The electric power distribution ought also to be under the same body. When we have such a comprehensive controlling body, then shall We be able to have comprehensive schemes for' the development of those people who go to make up Wellington and its environs. 'There will have to b;e adjustments, of course, in the incidence of taxation, and it would probably be some years .before taxation was evened up all round. "When sdme .of the suburbs were absorbed by this city it was felt by many that their development should have been borne not equally by the citizens, but mostly by the residents of the newly-merged and .undeveloped area. That would have to be taken into account. ' ....,• "It is an economic waste lor the limited area" invplved in the, city proper and the Hutt Valley having four administrative boards or councils. Moreover, harmony would be much more easily achieved on matters affecting the different localities if they were all administered by a single administrative unit So far as hospital administration is concerned, I am satisfied'that the citizens should have a much more effective control over ex? penditure than they enjoy today. EXAMINATION SUGGESTED. "I suggest, therefore, to the RateFlyers' Association that they should examine this suggestion, and if they agree that as a result of amalgamating the various local bodies in the area under consideration greater administrative efficiency would result and the burden of taxation would be reduced, then it ought to advocate the cause. The next year or two may prove to be very expensive unless the citizens are able to influence their representatives along sound lines. Much of that influence should originate, in this association."