Need For More Shops At Mount

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14959, 23 April 1949, Page 2

Need For More Shops At Mount

Minister In Guarded Agreement

Applications Treated On Their Merits

(Times Correspondent)

Further applications for the erection of shops at Mount Maunganui would receive favourable consideration subject to certain conditions, stated the Minister of. Works, the Hon. R. Semple, in a letter received at the last meeting of the Mount Maunganui Borough Council. This communication was in reply to representations made bv the Council, for more shops in the borough to alleviate the dangers of a "caravan town" springing up. In acknowledging the council's letter the Minister' stated that he had referred this to the Building Controller who was conversant with conditions at Mount Maunganui. and that he agreed with the officer's opinion that there was a definite need for more shops in the borough because of the increased population and the resultant need for additional shopping facilities. "Because of the Government's policy to give the greatest possible emphasis to housebuilding construction, industrial and commercial building has been to a large extent

curtailed," continued the Minister "and applications approved only in those instances where the circumstances had shown the proposal to have a relatively high decree of essentiality in the public interest."

Another matter which h?d als"> influenced the Building Control policy was the shortage of cement and steel which made it necessary to conserve these materials for the more imnortant classes of construction work th tt letter

Nn Definite Quota

"While J appreciate the problem with which your council is confronted in regard to the construction of shop premises." continued Mr Semple. "I regret tint it is not possible to premise' ? definite quota of commercial buildings in your township in the immediate future. "I can assure you that each application for a new shop will receive very full consideration and, if the circumstances in anv particular case are sufficiently satisfactory, then I <mall be pleased to give it the most favourable consideration."

The letter concluded by stating that the type of proposal most likely to receive approval would be one which was designed in the most economic way to conserve controlled materials and one which would he owned by the applicant who should be preferably a returned serviceman who proposed to establish a bu c ines<s of an essential nature. The Minister's letter wss. received by the council. *