17 OCTOBER
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
1933

Royal Commission to Inquire Into and Report Upon Local Authority Finance

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ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith:

To Our Trusty and Well-beloved the Honourable JOSEPH STANTON, a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand; WILLIAM HALL MASTERS, Esquire, of Dunedin, Public Accountant; CLAUDE JAMES LOVEGROVE, Esquire, of Auckland, Barrister and Solicitor; and WILLIAM RITCHIE BEATTIE, Esquire, of Lower Hutt, Retired Public Servant.

Now know ye that We, reposing trust and confidence in your integrity, knowledge, and ability, hereby appoint you, the said

The Honourable JOSEPH STANTON,
WILLIAM HALL MASTERS,
CLAUDE JAMES LOVEGROVE, and
WILLIAM RITCHIE BEATTIE

to be a Commission to receive representations, inquire into, and report regarding the sources of finance at present available to local authorities and their adequacy for the proper discharge of the statutory functions of those authorities and the provision by them of such services and amenities as are deemed necessary throughout New Zealand, having regard to the growth of population, the expansion and diversification of industry, and the trend of national income and production, and in particular to receive representations, inquire into, and report as to the following matters:

1. (a) The sources and the adequacy of the revenues available to local authorities:
   (b) The trend of such revenues in relation to national income and production:
   (c) In respect of local authorities depending for their income substantially on rates,—
   (i) Whether the proportion of total revenue derived from rates is reasonable, having regard to all relevant circumstances, and whether a greater part of revenue should be obtained from user or service charges:
   (ii) Whether present rate levies impose an undue burden on the owner or occupier of residential property or other property not producing income and, if so, whether any special provision can be made to alleviate the burden on this class of ratepayer:
   (d) Whether other sources of revenue should be made available to local authorities, and whether there should be changes in existing sources including compensating adjustments.

2. (a) The sources and the adequacy of capital money available to local authorities for permanent works and development:
   (b) The desirability and practicability of financing capital work by means other than borrowing:
   (c) Whether a greater degree of lending to local authorities can be achieved without adverse effect on other essential development.

3. Any associated matters which should be deemed by you to be relevant to the general objects of the inquiry.

And We hereby appoint you, the said

The Honourable JOSEPH STANTON

to be the Chairman of the Commission:

And for the better enabling you to carry these presents into effect you are hereby authorised and empowered to make and conduct any inquiry under these presents at such time and place as you deem expedient, with power to adjourn from time to time and from place to place as you think fit, and so that these presents shall continue in force, and the inquiry may at any time and place be resumed although not regularly adjourned from time to time or from place to place:

And you are hereby strictly charged and directed that you shall not at any time publish or otherwise disclose save to His Excellency the Governor-General, in pursuance of these presents or by His Excellency’s direction, the contents of any report so made or to be made by you, or any evidence or information obtained by you in the exercise of the powers hereby conferred upon you, except such evidence or information as is received in the course of a sitting open to the public:

And it is hereby declared that the powers hereby conferred shall be exercisable notwithstanding the absence at any time of any one or two of the members hereby appointed so long as the Chairman, or a member deputed by the Chairman to act in his stead, and one other member are present and concur in the exercise of the powers:

And We do further ordain that you have liberty to report your proceedings and findings under this Our Commission from time to time if you shall judge it expedient so to do:

And, using all due diligence, you are required to report to His Excellency the Governor-General in writing under your hands and seals not later than the 31st day of May 1958, your findings and opinions on the matters aforesaid, together with such recommendations as you think fit to make in respect thereof:

And, lastly, it is hereby declared that these presents are issued under the authority of the Letters Patent of His late Majesty King George the Fifth dated the 11th day of May 1917, and under the authority of and subject to the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908, and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of New Zealand.

In witness whereof We have caused this Our Commission to be issued and the Seal of New Zealand to be hereunto affixed at Wellington, this 16th day of October 1957.

Witness Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Cousin, Charles John, Viscount Cobham, Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, upon whom has been conferred the Territorial Decoration, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over New Zealand; acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of New Zealand.

COBHAM, Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command—

JACK T. WATTS,
Minister of Finance.

Approved in Council—

T. J. SHERRARD,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

[L.S.]

Officers Authorised to Take Statutory Declarations

—

COBHAM, Governor-General

PURSUANT to section 301 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1927, His Excellency the Governor-General hereby authorises the persons named in the Schedule hereto, being the holders of the offices specified after their names, to take and receive statutory declarations under that section.

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SCHEDULE

Frederick Ernest Waters, Accountant (unattached), Chief Post Office, Auckland.
Francis James Quirk, Postmaster, Balfour.
William Frederick Leggott, Postmaster, Geraldine.
Ralph Edward Paterson, Accountant, Chief Post Office, Gisborne.
Douglas Will Holley, Postmaster, Granity.
Frederick George Ryan, Postmaster, Kaitaia.
Stanley Morrison, Postmaster, Marton.
Rex Homer Bonisch, Postmaster, Mosgiel.
Frederick Alfred Wells Rowe, Chief Postmaster, Napier.
Fred Gaukrodger Duncan, Postmaster, Pahiatua.
Duncan Tikao, Postmaster, Pirinoa.
Edward Alexander Richmond, Postmaster, Waipukurau.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor-General this 7th day of October 1957.

J. R. MARSHALL, Minister of Justice.

Officer Authorised to Take Statutory Declarations

—

COBHAM, Governor-General

PURSUANT to section 301 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1927, His Excellency the Governor-General hereby authorises

James Russell Johnson, being Sub-collector of Customs, Auckland,

to take and receive statutory declarations under that section.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor-General this 7th day of October 1957.

J. R. MARSHALL, Minister of Justice.

Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Officers of the New Zealand Army

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PURSUANT to section 16 of the New Zealand Army Act 1950, His Excellency the Governor-General has been pleased to approve of the following appointments, promotions, transfers, resignations, and retirements of officers of the New Zealand Army:

THE ROYAL N.Z. ARTILLERY

Territorial Force

Headquarters, R.A., N.Z. Division

Lieutenant-Colonel S. F. Catchpole, O.B.E., M.C., E.D., from the Reserve of Officers, Regimental List, Headquarters, N.Z. Division, to be Brigadier, and is appointed C.R.A., Headquarters, R.A., N.Z. Division. Dated 14 September 1957.

2nd Lieutenant A. G. Moore to be Lieutenant. Dated 24 September 1957.

4th Medium Regiment, R.N.Z.A.

Captain (temp. Major) A. E. Yorston, E.D., to be Major. Dated 30 August 1957.

5th Light Regiment, R.N.Z.A.

Lieutenant J. A. Robertson to be temp. Captain. Dated 1 October 1957.

2nd Lieutenant R. H. Steele to be Lieutenant. Dated 11 September 1957.

2nd Lieutenant V. J. Chettleburgh to be Lieutenant. Dated 11 September 1957.

2nd Lieutenant A. G. Young to be Lieutenant. Dated 2 October 1957.