LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 462, 4 May 1912, Page 7

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL.

CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. The following circular letter has been forwarded to the local authorities by the Minister of Internal Affairs with respect to the conference for ths purpose of considering the Local Government Bill: —• "I have the honour to inform you that in the opinion of the Government the time has arrived and is opportune to deal with the question of the simplification of the local government of New Zealand. There has gradually grown up a considerable overlapping uf the functions of local bodies, which is not conductive to successful local government. The number of local bodies is felt to be far in excess of the requiremnts, and their powers are in some respects insufficient to enable them to carry out their work to the best advantage. At the present time there are no less than 124 counties, 113 borougha, GO town districts, 149 road districts, 41 river districts, 43 harbour boards, 13 education districts, 42 land drainage districts; and 37 hospital districts in existence, making a total of 622 local governent districts. "In the scheme which is now before the country the Government propose to materially reduce the number of local governing bodies by increasing the areas and enlarging the functions of the local bodies proposed to be set up. It is therefore the intention of the Government to endeavour to pass into law, with such amendments as may be considered desirable, the Local Government Bill introduced by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward during the recent session of Parliament, a copy of which has already been sent you. The principal features of the Bill are chiefly outlined in an explanatory memorandum which accompanied it, and I now enclose further copies of the memorandum for the information of the members of your board. "In view of the importance of the subject and the changes proposed in the Bill, it is d eemed advisable to submit it to a conference of delegates of local bodies for discussion consideration of amendments; and arrangements are being mads for such conference to be held in Wellington, in th° Dominion Museum Building, commencing on Tuesday, May 21st, at 10 a.m.

"It is obvious that direct representation of each local body concerned would make the conference altogether too unwieldy. It has therefore been decided that local governing bodies within such areas should meet and elect a delegate or delegates to the conference. As hospital districts, consisting, as they do, of groups of counties, have well-defined boundaries, it is proposed for the sake of convenience that they shal! comprise the areas referred to, and that the chair man of each hospital and charitable aid board (with the exception of the groups of districts mentioned below), shall convene a meeting at an early date, such meeting of course electing its own chairman. This course ia also proposed because the hospital board will doubtless have the necessary accommodation and be in a sufficiently central position to make it convenient for the local bodies from all parts of the district to meet together and select their delegate or delegates to the conference in Wellington. "In a few cases, where the population of the number of local bodies within the boundaries of a hospital district is too small to warrant separate representation, it has been decided to group such a district with another, or others, and that a delegate or delegates ba elected for the group so formed. The following are the hospital districts that have been so grouped—CoroTiandel, Thames and Waihi; Hawera and Patea; Wairau and Pictcn; Bullcr and Inangahua; Southland, Wallace and Fiord. "Each delegate to the conference will be allowed 10s per day travelling allowance in addition tj locomotion expenses to and from Wellington. Other expenses incurred will be require to be paid by the respective local bodies —G. W. RUSSELL, Minister of Internal Affairs."