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Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1932, Page 4

The reform of local government is in the air again. The Minister of Internal Affairs , favours a pieoVmea] effort where 'local bod'es agree to fuse. This is not supported by the Chambers of .Opmnterc'e, .which wish to- see-- n special; enactment to bring about a reduction in the 'number of bodies, and thereby hoping to see more economical ih'2thods adopted.' The late. Mr Seddon when, he was considering the .question, was disposed to revive the . old provincial sy-tem in New Zealand, , minus till?, legislative powers whic h ithose councils had. It is interesting to. note at this juncture that in the proposed subdivision of New South Wales to escape the influence of Trade? , Hall, in general government, it is proposed to- set up four largejprov’ncisl .districts outside.the metropolitan area, Those districts, however, are to have their local parliament, and it will be interesting to see how far their powers may go. This proposed legislation will: be interesting, to study as regards the .possibility of applying it in part to the. needs of New Zealand. Th lr re are of course many* difficulties to fusion due to existing debts and financial obligations. There will always ;be a harrier to any ready system of reform. The district that is free cf general debt to extent., will not be ready to fuse with a district wh'ch has loan liabilities extending ovl jr a period. To effect fusion under those conditions would mean thte locating of the debt on the district wheli3. it was incurred. But even so, the better 'managed distinct, that A the area'living within its means, will not be ready to consort with a neighbouring district ready to .launch out in loans when there is the.: greater area for security. The difficulties are very considerable at every turn, and that accounts for former efforts at so-called “reform,” having been: dropped. Many earnest attempts have been made by Ministers imbued with a desire to achieve success, but even when preliminary objections had been disposed of, th re came a time when Cabinet felt it could not go. further, and the well-inten-tioned measure had to b? dropped. Probablv because of that fact, the Hon. Minister js working in a different direction, in the Jiope of success by a process of mediation.