NEW ERA FOR ROTORUA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 307, 28 December 1922, Page 4

NEW ERA FOR ROTORUA.

UNDER I<OCAX GOVERNMENT. COP-MOIL'S FORWARD POLICY. (From Our Special Correspondent.) ROTORUA, this day. January will usher in a new era as far as Rotorua is concerned, for then the Tourist Department will cease to administer the affairs of the town, which will in future toe governed by a Borough Council consisting of a Mayor and four councillors elected by the townspeople, and two councillors nominated by the Government. For five years the town will enjoy an endowment of £3200, as has been the case in the past, and the Minister may donate half the bath feee, or £1300, whichever is the leseer. The Government will, however, retain control of matters relating to water supply, lighting and drainage, and of course control of the various baths, leaving the council to be responsible for roads, streets, foot-paths, etc. It will now be necessary for a rate to be struck this year. A great deal of work requires to be attended to, and theTe are many weighty problems to be faced by the first council, which will be elected next month. Mr. C. H. Clinkard, who hae had great erperience in local matters in Rotorua and elsewhere, and who ie a member of the Chamber of Commerce, gave your representative some interesting details regarding matters of policy will confront the first council. In the first place he said it would not be advisable for a new borough to start borrowing at once. It must feel its feet first, and although later it might be necessary to raise a loan, that should not be. resorted to except as a very last expedient. As far rating was concerned he . thought that it would be unfair to rate heavily in the meantime, more especially aa Rotorua people had not been rated before. A rate of about l*d in the £ would yield about £3000, and that with the endowment would be enough to carry on foT the first twelve months. By that time the council would be in a position to know what w as what, and if it were found necessary to strike a higher rat* it could be done then. Of that £3000, £1000 should be used to put footpaths in order, a very necessary work indeed. In addition, up-to-date appliances should •be purchased foT dealing with roade, footpaths, etc. The roads and streets in Rotorua are also in need of attention. The council will have to consider the laying out of a scheme extending over a period of t' m€ - an d classifying works as urgent, neceesary and desirable. The scheme should provide for the carrying out of the works in the order mentioned so that a definite obiect may be achieved in the shortest possible time.

The councii will hay* power under the Act to strike an additional rate to yield not more than £1000 for the purpose of advertising Rotorua, Regarding this, said Mr. Clinkard, it would be necessary, before striking this rate or spending any money, to be absolutely sure that good value was going to be obtained for that money. On a thousand pounde a year it did not appear likely that an advertising campaign, likely to achieve a great deal could be instituted. In oTder to be of any use the advertising would have to 'be fairly' extensive. In any case the advertising of New Zealand's attractions was a Government matter. New Zealand, had scenic attractions equal to thcee found" anywhere else in the wprld, and those attractiene were scattered all over the Dominion. To make people acquainted with them was what the TouTist "Department was for. By advertising those attractions properly throughout the world there was a glorious opportunity for the Dominion as a whole to reap a tremendous benefit in increased revenue which would mean increased prosperity to a veTy great degree.