AMALGAMATION SCHEMES

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 462, 2 July 1937, Page 4

AMALGAMATION SCHEMES

LOCAL BODIES Stratford County Ratepayers Opposition That th’ts representative meeting cf ratepayers of the County of Stratford is emphatically opposed to compulsory amalgamation of counties under the proposed Local Government (Amalgamation Schemes) Bill for the reasons that no economy would result; efficiency would suffer and community of interest would diminish, was a resolution passed at a meeting of ratepayers held in the Parish Hall this afternoon. The meeting was, however, favourable to a voluntary system of amalgamation of counties if and when approved by a vote of the ratepayers concerned.

The resolution was moved by Mr J. B. Richards and seconded by Mr 11. A. Hunt. Mr T. T. Murray, president of the Stratford sub-provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, presided. Mr T. R. Anderson (chairman of the Stratford County Council) said that the question of amalgamation had been a burning one for <a long I time* All sorta of charges had been made against local bodies. At Hawera the Minister, Hon. W. F. Parry, definitely said that the question of economy of administration would not be taken into consideration. Apparently there would be an attempt to take away the present system of county franchise. Dealing further with other proposals in the Bill, Mr Anderson said it appeared that the large hospitals would be situated at the centres, and l places * like Stratford would have cottage hospitals. Minister’s Statements. I Mr S. Pitt, a member of the Strati ford County Council, Laid that some | of the statements made by the Minis- ■ ter at Hawera needed contradiction. The bulk of the councillors were do--1 ing the work not as a hobby but for ' the good of the country. He did not agree with the Minister that econo- , mies could be effected dr that the ; present system was not efficient. The Minister wse not able to convince the meeting that amalgamation was necessary, at any rate in Taranaki. He said he would not take into ' account the productivity of a district i but merely the community of inter- ' est. Clau&e 11 provided that the Mini itter may refer aa amalgamation : scheme to a commission for a report, i In the opinion of Mr Fltt it wat- a : very dangerous clause. The Whan- ; gcinomona County had considered i the matter and had indicated! that ! they had no wish to amalgamate. 1 Taranaki counties bad generally ( shown that amalgamation was not ! wanted.

• Mr Richards, in moving his resoluj tion, said he regarded the move as a ; retrograde etep, going back 40 or 50 ■ years With the big counties which ! then existed it was found that it was : difficult for outlying districts to se- ' cure a voice in the affairs of the ’ council. It was childish to suggeet I that councillors were trying to hang I on to their jobs and that statement by a Minister of the Crown should ; be unconditionally condemned. T*ie i policy of amalgamation was a policy of centralisation and it was very * much betiter to have self-contjained ! un.tg, and more or less detached. The success of the Public Trust Office was an instance of what could be done by a policy of devolution. After referriing to the difficulties on roads in his district, Mr M. Davis siaid that the Minuter must have had in mind the betterment of the community. He had an open mind in the matter and in the absence of any further information he was not prepared to : support the resolution ,said Mr C. A. Marchant. ‘ A copy of the resolution is to be j forwarded to the Primfe Minister, the ; Minister of Internal Affairs in charge j of the Bill, and to the New Zealand | Counties’ Association.