TOO MANY BOARDS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 53, 18 March 1937, Page 15

TOO MANY BOARDS

-Press Association.)

i Minister on Local Body Administration MARLBOROUGH ACTION

(By Telegraph-

[ BLENHEIM, Laft Night. ! Pointing out that there are over 1201 counties in New Zealand, and that in jhis opinion 20 wero sufficient in the ;South Island, the MiniBter of Internai Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry) informed a; , local body conference to-day that his scheme for . amalgamations included union of the Awatere- and Marlborough , counties. The conference, which the Minister specially attended, followed a prelim,inary conference • of the Local Body Amalgamation BU1. "In analysing the position of local body eonsolidation in the Dominion, one of the first points that struck me was that the key to proper and effiective reduction in the numher of local authori■ties was through the county system" of Government," Mr Parry told the conjference. After xecommending ihe conjoining of the two counties, and the incorporation of the Havelock Town and Harbour Boards under the resultant body, I the Minister expressed astonishment at ! the number of rabbit boards in Marlborough, which he regarded as unprecedented in New Zealand. Notwith,standing their special purpose, he failed ■to see why they couldn't come under central control. The upshot of the conference, which lasted several hours, was that the Marlborough and Awatere Counties will con-' fer with a view to achieving a mutual; agreement to amalgamate, failing which the matter will be referred to a special Court comprising a Supreme Court Judge, a Government xepresentative and local body nominees.