CONFERENCE OF COUNTIES HELD AT AUCKLAND

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 55, 15 July 1965, Page 7

CONFERENCE OF COUNTIES HELD AT AUCKLAND

One of New Zealand's sub-Parliaments, the annual conference of the Counties' Association, met in Auckland recently to handle the problems of local government in the country areas. Because the powers of the county councils come only from Parliament, changes can be initiated only through remits which originate at a meeting of one of the 114 councils, filter through oue of 15 wards and finally are voted on at the conference. From Kaitaia to Otautau, more than 400 councillors, clerks and engineers converged on Auckland for this year's discussions. This fortieth conference seemed to have one theme as an un-der-current, the need for country and town to come closer together. It is not a comfortable subject. There is some unfriendliness involved. The need for better relations is pressing, as the men at the top well know, but it is more easily admitted in formal speeches than fulfilled.

What makes it uncomfortable is the erosion of rural life — what we used to call "the country" — by urbanisation. The counties have something to lose and to fear as more and more towns grow into cities and spread over arable land. What they may lose is strength in government, and what they fear is invasion — whether it is officials planning amalgamation, importers' cars towing fast boats to the lakes, townies' dogs that worry the sheep, or Sunday mushroom pickers. Mr J. L. Wallis, of Otorohanga County, was probably speaking for a good many others this year when he said "our friends in the other (urban) sector think very smoothly and speak ably, and are very anxious to put their arms around us, but we are losing ground and I don't like that. It's going to need vigorous and wise leadership, and it's right that we should warn them that we're very jealous of our county government." Major Topics Four major topics in this year's report hy the president, Mr L. A. Alexander, were those of a county town development, the activities of the Local Government Commission, local authority finance and the National Roads Board. Last March " the association's executive approved submissions for county towns to become county boroughs when they reach a population of 1500. It had hoped, without avail, for a meeting with the Municipal Association's representatives before it put its submissions to Wellington direct. Referring to the Local Government Commission, Mr Alexander said he thought it was time that the commission allowed the stronger units of county government, urban or otherwise, to carry on their administration without the continual nibbling at their boundaries and the harrassment of enquiry after enquiry.

The president said that the counties were not happy in the reduction from 30 to 26 per eent. of their proportion of National Roads funds. No recognition had been given to the fact that county ratepayers were already paying twice as much for their roading in proportion to that paid by municipal ratepayers. Many Remits More than 60 remits were dealt with at the conference. Those which were carried included: — The Government will be asked to extend liability for rates to education, hospital, railway and other exempted properties; it will be asked to make easier finance in subsidised water and sewerage sehemes; it will be urged to give the counties the same rights to prohibit hoardings as municipalities. Allowances will he paid to depnty-chairman of councils; exemption from tax on the first £500 of chairmen's honoraria will

he sought. Three remits from Hutt and Taupo sought a 75 per cent. national subsidy for civil defence, a Civil Defence school and insurance cover for Civil Defence personnel. These were approved. The National Roads Board will be asked to transfer underspent funds to counties which have overspent. Grave concern at the proposed additional duty on imported motor graders was expressed. Abolition, not revision, of differential petrol prices, was favoured. The Government will be asked to pay for back blocks roads as national undertakings. More crawler lanes will be requested to help reduce long traffic queues on State highway s. A change in regulations requested by Waikouaiti and Waimate West, to require building permits for dairy sheds will be sought. The conference approved an Akaroa remit asking for registration and number plates on small boats in the interests of public safety. It carried a Mangonui remit urging the Health Department to lay down minimum requirements for camping ground sanitation. Westland asked for stronger legislation to enable farmers to get redress when stock were killed by hunters "in mistake" for deer, and the conference backed its remit. Prepared hy "Local Government" Christchurch, for the N.Z.

C.N.A. News Service.