SCOPE FOR EXTENDING LOCAL BODY AREAS

Grey River Argus, 15 April 1948, Page 6

SCOPE FOR EXTENDING LOCAL BODY AREAS

DUNEDIN, April 14

That there wa§ scope for a commission such as the Local Government Commission had to be acknowledged by all sections of the community and particularly by the local authorities themselves, through their organisations, shid Judge Goldstine, chairman of the commission, at the first session of the New Zealand Municipal Association’s conference this morning. He was confident that with the co-operation of local authorities much could be achieved and the structure of local government in New Zealand placed on a sound and economic basis.

Problems facing the commission, he added, were oi wide application, and included reorganisation. The commission, added Judge Goldstine, had had to deal with several applications for boundary adjustments as between urban and- rural local authorities and as a result of its experience it had been able to enunciate certain principles. Where substantial residential building activity had taken place in concentrated area just beyond the borders of a borough, for instance, there a nnma facie case existed for the inclusion of these aieas in the borough, and furthermore, in order that the borough might plan adequately for its future services, an area sufficient to cover potential increases in the borough population for a period of 10 years should be incorporated in the borough boundaries. . In answer to a question, Judge Goldstine said the commission was a completely independent, body though it maintained a liaison with the Town Planning Board. The commission had executive powers and its decision ...was final.