LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS IT MIGHT BE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 522, 13 April 1920, Page 2

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS IT MIGHT BE.

gin—Most, thinking people might easily discern where our system ol local government might be improved, and there have been rumours of comprehensive schemes about to be intinduced in Parliament lor many V ears, but the matter has been postponed from one season to another, and still lies in abeyance lwu oi three items of news in the lM . a " * Ij P and Pukekohe Times lately again drawn my attention to the matter. The local bodies in New Zealand at present are appai + entl> imitations of the instituions ol the Homeland, and like many uthei old customs are unsuited for the loud needs. Particularly do I consider it an evil that constant efforts to create disinctions and differences between the dweller in the country and those in the towns have been successful. When Mr. J. S. M»ntgomerie, at a meeting of the tn.nklin County Council, suggested that I Pukekohe Borough should be [into the county, the remark was received as a jest,- but why should it | be a jest? Can any reasonable person point to a single spot and say, "Beyond that mark the towns.up cannot extend?" Or can anyone pom, to a public place in a township where the countryman's f° ot must not tread? Of course not! The two> aie inextricably intermingled, and th. re should be as little difference between them as there is., between one riding and another And thatbringsmeto mention a serious mistake which understand has been decided on. «nd that is the division of the Mauku vidina The right solution is not to i educe the size of the riding but to increase its membership. It ,s bus that no single member, with hiown business affairs to attend to, can spare the time to watch o\ei the requierments of any one of th, large ridings of the county. There "should be not less than two, and .-e ferably three, members for each iuling, and then if sickness or absence fiom the district prevented oi.emember from being available othei.. would be. I believe that a Franklin Shire" should be created to inc ucie within its bounds most of tne present county and Pukekohe borough the Mercer. Tuakau and Wamku townships, and the no, thern poit of the present Waikato and Ragb.n Counties. This eniitcry should be divided into, say, seven ridings, with periodical readjustments of tM boundaries to keep the po, ,ulat 0,.s of each nearly equal, haeh lidin,, t have three members one this .1 whom should be elected annually. The members of each riding would elect a chairman and meet lv to attend o minor matteis, several chairmen of ndings wou d meet at least, once a month, e often if required, and be the exun five council of the shire, and with one of them duly elected to occupy the responsible and honourable position of president of theshne u cil. All the members of the snne council would meet together quarterly to discuss matters of general nt'erest and deicde questions of policy, etc A body of select men such is I indicated M safely con not only roads and bridges, lightin„ and power, water supply and drainage, but miglit very well assume the duties of school committees, ' 5' build and efficiently manage "Osp l tals, without having the senseless "watertight compartment system at mesent in vogue, with its dup.ica tions and wasefulness so deplorably evident. It would, of course, mean that the engineering department would be strengthened and that s even now desirable. Comprehens.ve loading and power schemes coulu be undertaken without conflicting local interests barring the way. ' ei , financial powers would be held, . c briefly a progressive shlie lol ' n :'' would be able to nH-rease the p.ns nerity, and assure the well are ofi the whole community in ways only imagined now. -FRANKLIN KKFOKMI U "