ROTORUA RATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 157, 4 July 1940, Page 12

ROTORUA RATES.

NO INCREASE NEEDED.

ADOPTION OF ESTIMATES.

GRANT FOB EAHGAR WORK.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

ROTORUA, this day.

The Rotorua Borough Council at a meeting last evening approved of estimates totalling £10,028 for the present finangial year. The estimated receipts were shown at £10,267, and it was intimated by Mr. O. H. Coleman, chairman of the finance committee, that it would not be necessary to raise the rates. There had been a reduction in the hospital levy, but this was more than offset by the increase in interest charges, and decreases, in receipts from petrol tax and the Main Highways Board. Expenditure had been cut to a minimum, and he thought ratepayers could feel gratified that no additional rates would be imposed.

The chief discussion on the estimates centred round an amount of £600, included for the erection of a new hangar at the aerodrome. The matter was raised by Mr. P. A. Kueabs, who was informed by the Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, ithat the possibility of obtaining a contribution from the Government towards the cost of this work was being examined.

"Ours is the one municipal aerodrome in New Zealand being used at the present time, and 90 per cent of the work I>eing done there is in connection ■with the training of pilots," Mr. Jackeon added. He ventured to state that no other municipal aerodrome in the Dominion had cost the residents so little as had the Kotorua one. Toe ■hangar facilities at the present time were such that the civil aviation authorities had condemned them, and unless improvement* were made flving might be stopped. All those who have trained at Rotorua in the past 12 months had volunteered for service with the Air Force, but not all had been accepted, as the authorities seem to have forgotten that not all airmen fighting against us had matriculated. AH the original pupils with A licensee had been accepted, and all those at present training had volunteered. The opinion that the life of the Empire depended on air power was expressed by Mr. H. Tai Mitchell, who said that everything that inculcated airniii)dedne«4 should lie encouraged. Answering a question aboftt the control of the aerodrome, Mr. Jackson said that control was vested in the borough as an aerodrome, and that if it ceased to be used for that purpose it would revert to its original ownership by the State Forest Service. Any suggestion that the area had ever been intended for a residential site was without foundation. The expenditure upon the hangars wac> approved, together with the remainder of the estimates.