TOWN AND DISTRICT OF TAURANGA OFFER MANY ATTRACTIONS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8616, 13 June 1924, Page 2 (Supplement)

TOWN AND DISTRICT OF TAURANGA OFFER MANY ATTRACTIONS

Charming Situation and Delightful Climate make TAURANGA most Desirable Residential Town in Dominion and never fail to win warm admiration from

TAURANGA dates its existence as a Borough back to March. 1882, when, as the outcome of a movement to secure for the town the status to which its population and its then growing importance entitled it, it was then merged from n town district to the full status of a borough. The establishment of the town r.s a borough ha\ ing been secured the first -biusiness was naturally to elect a Mayor and Councillors. This resulted in the election of the late Mr Geo. Vesey Stewart as the first Mayor and Messrs David Lundon, Joseph Foster Buddie, Janies Weir Gray, James Bodell, John Conway. Richard Colep Jordan, John William Clareborough, James Kelly and Thomas Wrigley as the first Council. At that date, and for some years afterwards, Tauranga derived its chief importance from the fact that through it passed the stream of tourist traffic to and from Rotorua and the Hot Takes Wonderland. The completion of the railway to Rotorua saw the diversion of traffic to the more direct route, and Tauranga lost much of its former importance, with a eon sequent loss of population. Very much self-contained, and far from the beaten track, the town went quietly along for many years. As a town its wants were few. and as a consequence its public debt was verv modest indeed until a comparatively recent debt. For many years it stood at £3,400 only, that loan maturing in 1915, by which time the annual sinking fund had liquidated it. In 1910 a high pressure water supply for the town became an imperative necessity and a loan of £12,000 was ra sed for the purpose.

These were:— Streets improvements £II,OOO Hydro-electric installation £12,650 Drainage (over portion of the borough only) £3,000 The amounts shown for streets Improvements and the hydro-electric installation include the 10 per cent, additional which the carrying of the criminal loans automatically authorised. The drainage scheme was carried cut for less than its estimated cost, and therefore no additional amount was necessary. In the following year—l9l4—a further loan of £7,500 was raised for the erection of a town hall. An additional 10 per cent, was raised, and to-day Tauranca stands possessed of the finest public building on the coast, and a ball whicli would do full credit to any town of much greater population. In 1916 the need for metalling the principal Hreels of the borough became so pressing that the then Mayor, Mr C. K Macmillan (now Parliamentary representative for the Tauranga electorate) sought and obtained authority for a loan of £5009 for the purpose. The monev was well expended and a considerable amount of, metalling was

Of this £52,700 is invested in tho hydro-electric installation, and is not only self-supporting (i.e., meets its own interest and sinking fund without a rate), but returns a profit to the borough. The town hall loan of £8330 is in the same position. It will thus be seen that of the total indebtedness of £110,700, only in respect to £39,700 has a rate to be struck t-6 meet interest and sinking fund, and this sum is invested in water, drainage and street improvements, none of which can it reasonably bp claimed come within tha category of what might bo termed extravagances. In common with all councils tho successive Mayors and Councillors cf Tauranga have had to submit to adverse criticism, but it cannot truthfully be said that at any time has there been any wasteful expenditure. For a town of its population it is well esuipped with the conveniences and necessary services of a modern town. "With water, drainage, electricity and gas Tauranga can well claim to have met the requirements of its people.

'■?en still funner favoured in the mattor of its town administration, L' first, town clerk was the late Mi J. DMcCaw. to whose prudence and efhcicut administration the town is deeply indebted. On Ins retirement from the position in 1910 Mr B. D- Bhoaiman. the present, town clerk, was appointed, and ho has held the position ever since, except for a period of some four years while absent on actii e fOlvioe, during which time the duties were carried on successively by Moists J. C. Webster. IV. H. Gifford and F. G. Catch pole. Few boroughs or cities in the Dominion can claim that for half a century, the chief officer has changed but once. The value of such continuous service cannot bo over-estimated. Below is given the names of the gentlemen who have held office as Mayor since the establishment of the town as a borough ; W Mayor Date of Installation George Vesey Stewart, Mar. 17., 1882 Bichard Coles Jordan, Dec. -1, 1882 Thomas Wrigley, April 16, 1883 Thomas Wrigley, Dec. 3. 1883 Thomas Wrigley, Dec. 1, 1884 Richard Coles Jordan, Dec. 16, 1885 Revd. Charles Jordan, Dec. 15, 1886 David Lundon, Dec. 19, 1887 James Bodell, Xov. 23, 1888 Robert Sharpe Galbraith, B.Sc., C.E., Doe. 8, 1889 David Lundon, April 7, 1890 David Lundon, Doc. 1, 1890 David Lundon, Xov. 19, 1891 Richard John Gill, Jan. 5, 1893 Charles Augustus Clarke. Dec. 20,1893 Charles Augustus Clarke, 1891 Charles Augustus Clarke, Dec. 18, 189") Charles Augustus Clarke, Dec. 16, 1896 Charles Augustus Clarke, Dec. 15, 1897 Gerard Arnold Ward, Dec. 21, 1898 James Weir Gray, Dec. 20, 1899

The sinking funds accrued in respect to those loans not repayable by half-yearly instalments covering interest and principal, amounted at .March 31, 1923, to £51951/2.

done. . .. During this year also a further £4600 had to be borrowed to complete the electrical reticulation of the borough. , In 1919 £2OOO was raised to tar-seal metalled roads. In 1920 the great demand for electric current rendered it necessary to develop the full available power at Omanawa Falls, and a further £OO,OOO for this purpose was authorised by the ratepayers. This, however, proved insufficient, and a further £12,500 had to be raised in 1922. At March 31, 1923, the last official figures available, the public debt of the Borough stood as follows: 12000 0 0 12C0 0 0 13200 0 0 2729 13 0 8000 0 0 11500 0 0 1150 0 0 10000 0 0 1000 0 0 7500 0 0 750 0 0 — 8250 0 0 5000 0 0 500 0 0 5500 0 0 258 11 3 ■2OOO O - o 200 O 0 ■ 220 0 0 45 16 8 4600 0 0 30000 'OO 3000 0 0 12.500 0 0 £107865 19 1

As already stated Tauranga was constituted a borough in 1882. It lias an area of 87§ acres, with some 24 miles of streets. Its main road— Cameron Road —is for the most part two chains wide, while for the remainder of its length it is a chain and a-half. Most of the other streets and Avenues are a chain and a-half wide, while none are less than a chain in width. In view of requirements more recent than when the Town of Tauranga was originally laid out, the provision made for roads by the early military surveyors—by whom the town was planned—was extremely commendable. But not only were its streets planned on a liberal scale; those early town planners with commendable and enviable foresight planted the streets of the town with trees of all descriptions with a prodigality that is hardly equalled throughout the Dominion. True, many; grown to ripe age, such as willows and poplars, have had to ho taken out, while others have had to give w r av to the modern innovations the telephone and the electric wires But there yet remain many specimens of English and other trees, that add in very great measure to the attractiveness of the town 1 . Blessed by nature with a glorious climate and an incomparable setting, Tauranga has

The election of Mr B. C. Robbins as Mayor of the town in 1912 marked the beginning of a new era in its history. Early in 1913 JVIr Robbins placed several loan proposals before the ratepayers, all of which were carried Waterworks Loan 10 per cent, added Less Principal Repaid Drainage Loan Electric Light Loan 10 per cent, added. Streets Improvement Loan ... 10 per cent, added Town Hall Loan ... 10 per cent, added Streets Improvement Loan 10 per cent, added Less Principal Repaid Streets Improvement Loan, lUie 10 per cent, added Less Principal Repaid Electric Loan, 1916 Electric Loan 10 per cent, added Electric loan

Rev. Charles Jordan, Xov. 21, 1900 Rev. Charles Jordan, 1901 Kcr, Charles Jordan, Xov, 26, 1902 Rev. Charles Jordan. May 5, 1903 Rev C harles Jordan, May 4. 1901 William Brown. May 10. 1900 William Brown, Mat ‘ • 1906 William McKenzie Commons, June 13. 1903 Rev. Charles Jordan, May 1. 190' John Bull, Mav 4 ‘ 1010 Rev. Charles Jordan. May 3 ; 1911 Benjamin Conrad Robbins, May 6, 1912 Benjamin Conrad Robbins, May <, 1913 Benjamin Conrad Robbins May 11, 1914 Charles Edward Macmillan. Mayo. 1915 „ John Cuthhert- Adams, May 2. 1917 Bradshaw Dive, May 7 1919 Thanks to the indefatigable efforts of Mr j. C. Adams, Mayor for the period 1917-1919, and councillor for several years, a portrait of nil these gentlemen—with but one or two exceptions —hangs in the Borough Council Chambers. Mr Adams has had to search far and wide to secure many ot these portraits. The originals of many have long “crossed over,” and relatives had to he found and family archives searched. The task is almost complete, and there is every prospect that this public-spirited work will soon ho crow ncd with full success. Much might bo written of the town itself. Reference to the picture on the front page of this issue will convey an excellent idea of its situation. Standing mi 1 an isthmus, nowhere more than seven or eight minute walk across, and some two miles long, no other town throughout the Dominion is so charmingly situated. To those who think that statement the exaggeration of an enthusiast wo only say “Com© and See.” The last figures available give the ’ capital value of property within tho borough as £681,218.