A GREATER TAURANGA

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14049, 2 May 1946, Page 2

A GREATER TAURANGA

Sir,—Once again the County Chairman has been reported to have said that it is up to the Otumoetai residents to show their hands first and show the council what they intend to do. This refers to the proposal of part of the residents to move into the borough. It is also suggested that the council’s road improvements be suspended for at least two years and the rates collected in the meantime. The borough also shows interest in . the matter, for the Mayor is reported on April 13 to have said that his council had invited petitions to come into the borough from Otumoetai for years past. Now why not leave it to the ratepayers of the borough and Otumoetai, within a given area, to decide the question, instead of leaving it open for discussion to only a few, as has been the custom for two or three generations? Let the borough and the county council proceed to take a poll on the following lines or alternatives over that part of the borough north of Ninth Avenue and over the north-' orn portion *ol’ Otumoetai Peninsula to within half a mile of the Waihi main highway which already serves the southern part of the borough and the southern part of Otumoetai. it is suggested that alternative issues be put before ratepayers in the area mentioned as follows : (a) That a road filling with a 100 foot bridge be built from the western end of Fourth Avenue to the northern end of Motupae (Peach) Island, thence to connect with the settlers’ old road leading from the water between the farms of Messrs Brinkley and Benson to Lilian's Road. From here an almost flat road could be made through the peninsula lands to the Otumoetai railway station and beyond. This route would pass through a few hundred acres of hard sand flat which could be reclaimed with only about six feet of filling. Engineer’s estimate of cost £ (b) That a road filling with about 300 feet bridge be built from the western end of Spring (post office) Street across to end of Good’s Road with a foreshore road to connect with settlers’ old road as mentioned in (a) and a foreshore road northward to connect with the flats at the end of the railway bridge. This route also lends itself to extensive reclamations in shallow water. Engineer’s estimate of cost £ (c) That a road with about 500 feet of bridge be made along the railway line at the extreme northern end of the borough to the extreme northern end of Otumoetai. A good part of this would be in deeper water which might not lend itself to remunerative reclamation. By this route the travelling distance from the business centre of the borough to the centre of Otumoetai would be much greater. Engineer’s estimate of cost £... (d) That nothing be done to connect the borough with Otumoetai Peninsula.

II; this scheme 'is to be carried out, it is understood that the portion of Otumoetai included in the voting area, shall come into the borough scon after the road work is under Avay, but not later than the day it is opened for traffic. Should the ratepayers turn down the proposed road, Otumoetai has now enough public spirited men and women, able to develop their own side of the water. This might be done by asking for. a separate riding in the county with separate accounts kept, in order to show that a fair share of the money collected is expended in their own riding. Motorists when in other districts can drive over tar sealed roads where the rates are only a fraction of that paid at Otumoetai. The refusal of a road connection or a riding with separate accounts, would provide good evidence for the establishment of a local body and the practice carried out at Mount Maunganui could be followed on the road to success. Later on it might be found that a private company, with the consent of the Harbour 'Board and Marine Department, could reclaim and sell hundreds of building sites with financial gain to itself and to the building of a greater Tauranga. If it is, decided to make a start on the job of forming a short link to the borough, a committee could be set up to go into the question, the members to be drawn from the two local bodies mentioned and the Otumoetai Ratepayers’ Association. In making these suggestions, I would like to explain that I have brought to bear the experience gained in laying off roads in other parts of the Dominion, but have no property or money invested on or near any of the Tauranga-Otumoetai roads or proposed roads mentioned above. I am, etc., “PATHFINDER.”