ANOTHER PROTEST

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20274, 17 August 1937, Page 9

ANOTHER PROTEST

COUNTY AMALGAMATION. WAIPA COUNCIL OBJECTS. PROPOSALS WITHOUT BENEFITS. (Tim« Special Reporter.) TE AWAMUTU, Monday. Contending that tha schema for the amalgamation of the Waikato, Walpa and Raglan County Counolla aa proposed by the Mlnlater of Internal Affaire, the Hon. W. ■. Perry, at e conference In Hamilton reoently, could not be of benefit to either the oounolls concerned or the ratepayers, the Walpa County Council, at the monthly meeting to-day, expressed dissatisfaction at the scheme and carried a resolution of objection, which will be forwarded to the Government. Last week the Waikato County Council passed a similar resolution. The chairman of the Walpa County Council, Mr C. B. Macky, said that the scheme as outlined by the Minister provided that the rich lands of the Walpa and Waikato Counties should help the pooc Im N of tbd Raglan County. He said that the chairmen of the three counties met recently and decided to Inform the Minister that they objected to the unified control. **The scheme has not one thing to recommend it. Our own engineer has as mucti work as he can cope with now. and should the counties amalgamate the officers of the three bodies would have to be retained. There could be no economies effected there,” said Mr D. B. Livingstone. Against Majority's Wish. •'As far as I oan sss, thsrs Is not ons county oouncll In Now Zsslsnd which la In favour of amalgamation. Why should on# man oomo along and try and force It upon ua. It la tha greatest pleoo of chaak I hava avar heard of,'* said Mr Livingstons. “We should fight the proposal of amalgamation tooth and nail.” commented Mr G. S. Hall, who added that, while the unification of the three major counties was absurd, the boundaries of the counties might easily he revised. He considered that the Wa'pa County Council could profitably take control over some of the neighbouring territory. As an Instance he said that the settlers on the land between the Plrongla Mountain and the Walpa County boundary had their market and Interests In either Hamilton or Ta A warn ota, and should thsrs - fore he Included In the Walpa County Instead of the Raglan County. Mr Hall also considered that some parts of the Matamata County and portion of the northern part of the Otorohanga County, where the settlers had their centra In Te Awamutu. should he nhw While holding the** contend->ns he was definitely opposed to the amalgamation of three large counties. “Will amalgamation deerease road- i ing costs fop the ratepayers?” asked Mr F. L. Onion, who added that thH question, when put to Mr Parry, had evoked the reply that the total saving throughout the whole of the Dominion would be approximately £.10.000 only, which was negligible Mr Onion said that the Minister had contended that amalgamation would enable greater efficiency of local government. The speaker had asked the Minister if the scheme would reduce taxation, to which the reply came: “Put your own house In ord"r.” which Mr Onion could not understand. Lower Costa Nssded. "If the Government oould prove that the scheme would ensure deoreased roedlng costs then It would be e sound proposition. Lower administrative costa must also be guaranteed before the proposals could be endorsed," ooncluded Mr Onion. When one member suggested that the chairmen of the three counties eoncerned should wait on the Minister again, the chairman replied that it would be useless to try and argue with the Minister further. “What Mr Parry did at the conference was an old political game. He was throwing the onus of defence on the counties. We should refuse *.o he put in that position. it was the Government’s duty to prove a case to us.” said Mr J. T. Johnston. The Walpa County engineer. Mr .1 W. Civil, said that If the Government were desirous of bringing about more economical local government they oould give the Walpa County administration over the small hoards In Its territory—namely, the Ohaupo Town Board, the Leamington Town Board, Klhlklhl Town Hoard, Te llapa Drainage Board, Ohaupo Drainage Board. Njrmroto Drainage Board, Hotnmnnuka Drainage Board, Tuatuamoana Drainage Board. Lower Mangaplko Drainage Board. I'ppcr Mangaplko Drainage Board and the Magahoe Drainage Board. THAMES VALLEY ATTITUDE. MINISTER'S SCHEME CONDEMNED. PIAKO COUNCIL OPINIONS. (Special to Times). TE AROMA. Monday. Staunch opposition to a scheme in Yop iiig tho amalgamation ..f five «ountv c o u«i l ■I > in ID.* I'hames Valley district, is outlined by the Minister voiced monthly meeting of the P < x■» C.mnfy Council at Te Nr ha to .lay. Tin scheme which had been forwarded t t Oh remnn :.ml Thamp eounP-s ml. should not present '>\ M•i j: •»* i’. 1 1 1 1« barriers I he Mm *t.*r - nres f. w fie , .!• oil -• II" t Old W olll,| ,| . * tl (Continued In neat column.)

County as there was no community of Interest with the northern counties. Amalgamation was favoured hv some of the speakers hut not in the manner outlined by the Minister. Another Hospital District. One of the objectives put forward by Mr W McLean was that, under the scheme the county would he drawn Into another hospital district and that would he grossly unfair to tho ratepayers. They had already helped to build up the Waikato Hospital and they should not be dragged into another one. “I do not think that we stand to derive any benefit from linking up with the counties sugested by the Minister,” said Mr W. F. Stark. “We leave to consider many things. One Is the huge area that would be Involved and another is the various classes of farming land In the area. We have not only to consider whether It will be of benefit at the present time but also what the effect will be In the future. Plako has absolutely no community ot Interest with the counties suggested and for that reason T do not think that the proposal will he of any benefit to us. Perhaps the Minister would consider a scheme whereby the northern counties could link up and leave Pinko out.” The speaker moved that the members of the Plako County Council could not sc#* any benefit in linking up with the Minister’s proposal. Minister’s Strong Case. “I would like to congratulate the Minister for his explanation of the scheme and for his honesty of purpose.” said Mr W. R. Lowry. “He lias put forward proposals which he thinks will be of benefit and It is our place either to support or condemn them. In talking of the large number of local bodies, the Minister has put forward a strong case for amalgamation. I can see that he has it in mind to help the smaller ones out of their difficulties and he hopes that that will he achieved by his scheme for amalgamation." The speaker endorsed Mr Stark’s statement that Plako had no community of interest with ttie counties mentioned, stating that there was a definite “blank” between them and the Plako county. “Our Interests are inclined to •he more south and towards Hamilton,” said tho speaker. “Nothing that is done will cause our community of interest to go lo a northerly direction. “The Minister wants amalgamation and I agree with him.” continued the speaker. “However we have to consider tlio direction in which our interests lie. Perhaps we would he pre- ; • red to consider whatever the Minister would propose for us to amalgamate in a southerly direction. As well as being of more benefit to us I think that such a scheme would also lie beneficial to the southern counties, in addition. I cannol sec that anj good would come ••f an am • txveen Matamata .• I 1 1 a Raj of Plenty With the Kaimal range forming a harrier between Hie two areas and with tho adminis trative quarters separated from one or other of the districts I cannot see that Hie proposal would he of any assist - Plako and Matamata. “i>n the other hand, there is a good de il to be said ilgamation h< I wren us and Matamata. That would m *ke 4 much more comp ict re a w hich e• ilid easily he handled and would in | v. d\«• two counties with a community Tin* opinion that lie d not wish to , .. ma|g .mat on in any direction was ' ; i' l ’", d hv Mr D I Htiruess The to deal with a lafire dMriet j| \ Vi is . oll\ Inns that thej would not he able to do it as well as at present. Th '