The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1931. LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1931. LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Tun suggested reform of local government appealed in policy form in the much discusesd statement issued last week by the Prime Minister. For some years the subject has been a dead letter, though in times past it was a rather vital political issue. In one of the last public ,addresses made in Westland, the late Mr Seddon when Premier in 1906, declared stoutly for the reform, and he proposed certain experimental legislation for Westland as a 'beginning, proposing to adopt a modification of the former Provincial Council system., Mr Seddon was a member of the Westland Provincial Council during its short-lived existence, and thus had a knowledge of its operations. That Council, however, had legislative authority for its own area, and it was Mr Seddon’s intention to clminate that provision and create a large central authority which would govern all parts of Westland county with interior boroughs, and include ail other local body activities, for which the one Council would function. 1 he details of the scheme were never revealed owing to the sudden demise of Mr Seddon. but no doubt particulars could be obtained in the Ministerial pigeon holes. The subject was kept alive, and one Minister (Mr O. W. Russell) had a reform hill drafted and submitted to the local bodies. But the Government oi the day was not strong enough to force the measure through, and it went out in the slaughter of the legislative innocents. Mr Forbes revives the subject at a time when the otihlie will he inclined to pay some attention to any movement calculated to produce effective reforms in economic administration. A record of the number of existing local bodies is of interest in the light of the proposal. There are GST local authorities functioning in New Zealand. They are—-

Counties 127; Boroughs 120; Town Boards 68; Road Boards 19; River Boards 43; Drainage Boards 67 ; Water I Supply Boards 6; Fire Boards 30; I Hospital Boards 6i ; Rabbit Boards 46; j Miscellaneous 21. in referring to the I chert ol all this administration oxI pense, which affects directly the man on the land, Air Forbes pointed out that “statistics show that the rates collected by County CJbuneils, Road Boards, and other rural local Haiti) or* • ties amount; 'to approximately £2,240.000 annually, while rates, mostly rural, collected by Power Roarers, amount to about £70,009, and by a •lumber of the smaller Harbour Boards to about £IOO,OOO per annum. Land tax assessments on rural lands amount to about £6-50,000 per annum, but as the majority of farmers, owing to the exemptions allowed pay no tax at all. it is clear that rates are the real burden of the small farmer. Now. the information available shows that, apart from Power Boards and Harbour Boards, there are no fewer than 299 rural local authorities, and that the administration of these authorities costs about £330,000 a year, which represents H per cent, of the total revenue from all sources, or, alternatively, nearly 1-5 per cent, of the receipts from rates. There is no doubt that good communications, and the revolutionary development of road transport, have rendered it quite unnecessary to have so many local authorities, and it is evident that considerable relief to rural ratepayers won ill result from a general overhaul ana reorganisation of these authorities. Not only would there be a large saving'in costs of administration, but larger districts would ('liable modern machinery to be "kept fully employed, which would mean, of course, cheaper maintenance and construction accordingly.” We take it Air Forbes is convinced the system is over-burdening for the ratepayers, and following up that conviction, will attempt"a measure of reform. It is proposed to attempt something through a commission, but such a vexed question is sure to create endless discussion. It will take a long time to achieve effective results unless the Government is hold enough to plan a scheme and put it before Parliament for enactment. Some relief is certainly desirable.