The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 1021. LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 1021. LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM.

Is the Public Works Statement the Hon. J. G. Coates makes the following reference to Local Government Re-form:—,-I helievo it to be an urgent measure of local-government reform that wo should reduce the total number of local governing bodies which exist within one another’s boundaries, overlap, and to a considerable extent duplicate one another’s work. As an indication of this necessity I have but to point to the fact that we have one hundred and eighteen Boroughs and Cities, seventy-one Town Boards, one hundred and twenty-nine Counties, thirty-fire Rond Boards, fiftv-rijpp

Drainage Boards, and firty-ninc River Boards, all with their separate staffs, plant, and overhead charges. It is obvious that a very considerable percentage of these bodies could lie done without and their work absorbed by the remaining local authorities. There are ilso some thirty-nine Harbour Boards n existence constituted as such by ■peeial legislation, and, in addition. ' there are fourteen other harbours in respect of which the local authority is delegated with and carries out the powers and functions of a Harbour Board. Even some of the specially constituted Harbour Hoards could have carried on satisfactorily under the administration of an existing local authority. I’osssiblv the time has not yet arrived for the organisation of a l.oeal (iovernment Board, lint it does seem to me that we should take into early consideration the creation of a plan whereby no local- authority may proceed with the raising of a loan until the proposal lias been lir.si submitted to experts for investigation, in ■order to ascertain whether (a) the ,work proposed is sound from an engineering point of view; (l>) it is justified at the cost estimated, having regard to existing services; (c) it is economically sound, having regard to ils value tithe district concerned and the capacity of the district to pay for it ; and (d) (il applicable) it fits in and forms part of a comprehensive plan of relative works. Assuming all these factors to lie answered by the expert investigators in the allirmativc. and the raising of the loan concurred in liv the Treasury, who would maintain a record of all public loan indebtedness, actual and prospective, the way would then be clear for the local body to submit the issue to tile ratepayers, who would have an assiiranre which they do not have now.”