The Sun 42 Wyndham Street, Auckland, N.Z. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1927. A CIVIC PARLIAMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 193, 4 November 1927, Page 8

The Sun 42 Wyndham Street, Auckland, N.Z. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1927. A CIVIC PARLIAMENT

THE City Council gave a cold reception last evening to representatives of the movement for the establishment of a metropolitan board to control regional services within Greater Auckland. It was scarcely to be expected that the elected municipal administrators would burble with affectionate enthusiasm over the deputation and its purpose. Some great men in history have been able in high humour to hail their executioners, but, as a rule, the pale headsman with an axe has never been a popular fellow. It is true that tlie supporters of the elaborate scheme for the revision of local government in the Auckland metropolitan area were polite in their request for the City Council’s aid, and pressed their plea in the best of goodwill. But they could not hide the fact that their very presence, to say nothing about their mission, was a reminder to the city administration that all is not well with local government; that, at least, it is imperfect enough to call for constructive revision. Since no one likes to be reminded of faults or failings, it was not surprising to find councillors inclined to be sceptical and occasionally sarcastic. If the arguments of the deputation were not very coherent, its conclusions were plain enough, and quite uncompromising as to the common belief that there is real need of a better system of local government control. The silent couneil«whose members were in the position of listeners who never hear any good about themselves, was assured by one speaker that the unanimity of public opinion in favour of the scheme was something like an impressive record. The committee had heard nothing but commendation on all sides. It may be noted now, however, that the City Council appears to be the exception to the commendatory rule. Its members refused to enthuse and merely agreed to give the proposals consideration next Thursday evening “if time permits after the transaction of the council’s ordinary business.” One of the picturesque phrases used in the deputation’s argument about the necessity for a new form of local government control was that “Auckland was suffering from growing pains.” If this be all that Auckland suffers from there need be no great worry about its municipal trouble. It is not a desperate malady. But if it be true there is reason to doubt whether the establishment of a civic parliament of thirty additional local government administrators would disperse the aches in Auckland’s joints. For some time past Auckland, in common with the rest of New Zealand, has been suffering very acutely from the growing pains in local bodies. There are twenty-three of these organisations now, representing over two hundred administrators, all wrestling with debt, high rates, high charges for services, and none of the lot satisfying anybody but themselves. And then some of them quarrel with one another like petulant children. It is proposed to increase the number of civic administrators to about two hundred and sixty, each imbued with the ultramodern spirit of efficiency and progress, known best in the magic words, “Unification, Co-ordination, Co-operation.” The public does not want mouthfuls of syllables. It wants good government with economy, and first-class service without the need of imposing on ratepas’ers the highest rates in the Dominions. Let the City Council do its work well, and there would be no need of an expensive supreme council to teach it efficiency and sound business.

DANGER ON THE HARBOUR

THE necessity for ensuring a clear track for ferry steamers, * during rush hours at least, as proposed by the Auckland harbourmaster, Captain Sergeant, is given fearful emphasis by the disaster on Sydney Harbour yesterday, when the New Zea-land-bound steamer Tahiti ran down and sank the ferry steamer Greycliffe. As it was the loss of life was very dreadful, but had the collision taken place farther down the harbour, and not quite close to Garden Island, the naval headquarters, where numerous launches manned by sailors were able to render almost immediate assistance, it would have been appalling. In any case, the tragedy should effectually silence any opposition raised against the proposed Auckland by-law on the score of its “inconvenience” to big shipping. Crowded ferry steamers are entitled to a clear road in busy traffic hours.

DAIRYING RECORD—AND A WARNING

MOT only has the butter-fat produced in the Auckland Province for the four months so far sped this season been twenty per cent, higher than for a similar period last year, but butter and cheese have sold at far more favourable rates, which means that a very much larger amount of money is to be made available for the farmer.

With the secondary industries having a mild boom and promising to continue doing well, and with splendid returns from dairying, the province appears to be on the verge of that cycle of prosperity which has been promised by those who have been watching the clouds break. The time is ripe, then, for a warning. It is well known that much of the depression through which the Dominion has passed was caused by gambling in land and consequent inflation of prices to beyond the earning capacity of the land. There is danger of a renewal of this speculation with the return of good times, and of further disastrous consequences when another period of depression comes again—as it quite conceivably may. The safeguard for solid progress, then, is hard work and increased production by better farming, but no speculation with the means of production. Those people who are again caught by such insane departures from the normal will have only themselves to blame, for they should learned their lesson. M