INDUSTRIAL AREA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1936, Page 14

INDUSTRIAL AREA.

MANUKAU FORESHORE

DIRECTION OF OTAHUHU

COMMERCE CHAMBER MOVE. An endeavour to establish an industrial area on the foreshore of the Manukau Harbour between Onehunga and Otahuhu was revived last night at a meeting ot the Onehunga-Manukau Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. J. E. Green explained that about five years ago this question was oil the point of being realised, when the City Council and all the contiguous local bodies agreed that the scheme was a good one and should be put in hand at once. Owing, however, to a failure in calling a further meeting of the interested parties to finalise the scheme it had lapsed.

The proposal was again reviewed at length by the Mayor of Onehunga, Sir. J. Park, last night. He said the time was fast approaching when the owners of large manufacturing concerns would find that rates, taxes and overhead expenses would so increase that they would be compelled to look for cheaper sites for their factories. Auckland's future industries should, in his opinion, be located on the shore of the Manukau for they would be in a position to take advantage of every essential, such as railways, road? and water carriageway. There were a number of industries closely allied, and in many cases their products were essential to each other. Great economies could be made by setting up an industrial area on the Manukau.

In addition to the facilities already named in favour of this area being on the Manukau foreshore, the speaker said, there was the question of water supply and sewage disposal. Then again, people would have a security in the class of building they would erect in residential districts, as they would know that objectionable industries could not be established in their midst. It was a recognised practice to declare industrial areas in other parts of the world, as by such means it was possible to zone and design towns in a better way than heretofore. Equally important as transport was the plentiful supply of water whiclr could be obtained at a cheap rate, together with coal and electrical energy.

The chamber reaffirmed the desirability of reopening the question, and decided to ask the Government (through Mr. W..J; Jordan/ M.P.) for information as to the steps to be taken to'resuscitate the matter by bringing it again before the local bodies concerned.