PROPOSED COUNTY OFFICES.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5499, 22 April 1910, Page 2

PROPOSED COUNTY OFFICES.

The motion tabled by Or. Stewart at the last ordinary meeting of the County Council in regard to the Council making an effort to procure its own free hold and erect a 'suitable building thereon for the conduct of its business is one that will meet with the hearty support of a large number of ratepayers. On all sides it is admitted that the Tauranga county is progressing and progress means increased work for the clerk and engineer. At the present time the Council is only able to boast of a single apartment in Hamil ton Street, f^r the transaction of county business, % where the clerk, engineer and chairman are forced to carry out tbeir duties, and where the meetings are held. Of course the engineer is unable to do much of his professional work in this room, and has perforce to cany it out in his own private residence. The county does . not even possess -a strong room, wherein should be deposited the important documents and correspondence connected with the office. The Tauranga county has surely reached the stage of exis tence when it should be able to provide its own premises. At the present time the council is paying a rental of £20 per annum for a single apartment, and a fum of £7 10s for telephonic commi.nication with the engineer's reside) cc, supplied in lieu of an office. Thrse two items would go a long way towards paying the interest and sinking -fund on a loan of 6ay, £1000, which ought to be quite ample to pur chase the necessary land and enable a suitable building to be erected. By adopting Cr Stewart's proposal the County Council might Lave to pay something more than it is paying now. Against this has to be remembered the fact that the Council has only a solir tary apartment, while Cr. Stewart's motion provides for four rooms, and would be the means of giving the ratepayers a good asseb for all-time. The Council is spending money in rent, which will never create an asset, and since the fire in the Government build ings is poorer by the amount in rent which has been paid away in the interval. Further, rents are likely to increase very greatly in the near future There is no getting away from it that the Council will soon have to look round for increased accommodali n, and it is certainly quite time that the engineer bad an apartment in the business area, where it would be possible for ratepayers to interview him on the many matters which demand his attention and concern tbeir welfare. We congratulate Cr. Stewart on having brought forward his resolution and hope that the Council will unanimously decide to purchase their own freehold and build suitable offices for the conduct of its affairs, thereby providing the increased accommodation which is urgently required, and creating an asset which, in a little over thirty years, could be handed over to posterity as a frte gift. I ■