MINISTER HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE LEASE OF DOMAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 39, 16 September 1949, Page 5

MINISTER HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE LEASE OF DOMAIN

Concerned at the control of the Whakatane Domain whereby sports bodies who wanted to use the land were forced to approach a sublessee for permission the Whakaitane Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party protested at the situation to the Minister of Internal Affairs in May, 1948. The protest was passed on to the Minister "of Lands, Mr Skinner, who recently replied with a letter not dated. He states:—

“I refer to the objection lodged by your Branch to the proposal that portion of the Whakatane Domain be leased to the Whakatane and Rangitaiki Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and the Bay of Plenty Winter Show Association. No Objection

“I have investigated the objection put forward by you, and I find that the sporting organisations of the district have already been catered for adequately by the Domain Board, and additional provision is bejng made by the laying out of extra playing fields. I do not intend to refuse a lease to the A. and P. combined associations, provided such lease reserves to the Domain Board the privileges of granting rights to other sporting organisations, to use the leased land when it is not required for show purposes.

“Another point is that in bringing the large hall building from its present site onto the Domain, the structure will be in a more suitable position for use by the general public, and a term of the lease will secure the public rights to the use of this hall at a reasonable charge. If a lease can be arranged along these lines, I consider the public interests will be protected, and I propose to inform the Domain Board accordingly,” Mr Skinner concludes. No Word From Minister

So far neither the Whakatane Winter Show Association nor the Whakatane and Rangitaiki A. and P. Society have received any notification from the Minister stating his views on any proposed amalgamation by the two bodies or of the control of- the Domain. The Whakatane Domain Board is in the same position. At present all these three organisations are still waiting to hear from the Minister.

Along with its protest to the Minister the Whakatane Labour Party also wrote to the Whakatane and Rangitaiki A. and P. Society outlining its objections.