Akaroa bides time on joining board

Press, 28 November 1977, Page 4

Akaroa bides time on joining board

The Akaroa County Coun-i cd will decide whether it! will join the North Canter-; oary Catchment Board just before the start of the 1978- I 79 financial year. The chairman (Mr T. J.Brocheiie) said at a council! meeting that tie public meet-i in.; at which board member 1 and engineers answered rate-' payers’ questions aboutl membership, had been very successful. Cr A. J. Boleyn said hej, wondered if everyone had: gained a thorough impres-i stem of what membership ; would mean. "It seemed to; me that some of the young 1 farmers thought it would be some sort of hand-out — all the subsidies, and so on. "I wonder if they realised they might have to change i| some of their farming pol-, icies before the subsidies i were made available," he said. Cr W. S. L. Mcßae said ; many went to the meeting h inclined to be opposed to the Catchment Board. “They were afraid of the power of , the board, and what it might ; make everyone do. But it is . obvious no-one is going to |, be under anv more oblig-j atlon than he is now’.” L To a question by Cr 80-| levn. Mr Brocherie said the'i county might find it difficult! to obtain subsidies for flood, damage if it were not a| member. "We want feedback from [ ratepayers before we make a! decision,” he said. Cr Boleyn: I’ve already j had plenty. Sight for light Although there is “a cer- 1 tain urgency” about deciding

I on a new site for thei i Akaroa lighthouse, the counjcil was not able to make a definite decision about any of the three sites suggested • by the steering committee. The council's representa-) Stive on the committee, Cr G.< |P. A. de Latour, said the! .three sites were the Brit-; lomart Reserve, an area by i Dalys wharf, and Stanley: | Park. All three were council land; the first two on the foreshore, and the third a country reserve overlooking the township. I "It is very important that! •the light be put in the right) • place,” he said. “The Wairoa. ; light was moved amny years ago and it ended a complete; disaster. The area became 1 built up and now there is ai icluster of small houses with; a lighthouse sticking up in ' ithe middle. I "It is going to draw very; • big crowds, but the com-! .mittee’s great fear is van-1 ;dalism. For that reason! ' some members want it in i the centre of town.” Cr de Latour said that a stone thrown through a window could create a fire hazard. Curtains were drawn across the glass during the day, and if they were parted,; • the sun shining through one. of the lenses could “set the: ilighthouse on fire in a mat-! .ter of seconds.” The County Engineer (Mr i K A. Paulin) said whichever • site was chosen, a change-; iof-use application would be • needed for a building 12.5 metres high — this would! have the advantage of bringing “public comment.” The chairman and Crs de Latour and Mcßae thought the foreshore sites unsuitable and therefore favoured Stanley Park. An environ-

mental impact report would be required on the Britomart Reserve and Dalys wharf area, and this could take up to six months to prepare, said the chairman. Only a change-of-use application! would be required for Stanley Park. “There is a certain urgency,” said Cr de Latour. The outside of the lighthouse was deteriorating, and vandalism was a risk on the present site. “The engineering mechanism is of historic value and in perfect working order, but it leaves no room for the Akaroa Information Centre." One idea put forward at a previous council meeting was to house the information centre in the resited lighthouse and use the entry fees to run the centre. Another public meeting will be held on December 14 • to discuss siting. Cr de Labour assured the council that ! if the lighthouse was not removed to Akaroa there was ; “no chance of its being left where it is. Ferrymead will take it like a shot out of a gun.” •Water skiers The council intends to j take a strong line with I water-skiers who break the • county by-laws this summer. Cr Mcßae said there already had been trouble with people ski-ing in and out of the boat moorings. “We .need to show them through advertisements in the news- , papers that we are going to take a tough line,” he said. “One was using the moorings as a slalom recently, and he was quickly followed by two others. Moorings have already been cut.” ,