No hawker’s permit — Akaroa council

Press, 2 April 1979, Page 7

No hawker’s permit — Akaroa council

The Akaroa County Council has refused to grant a hawker’s licence to Rural Wholesalers, Ltd, which wanted to sell new clothing, hardware and linen to farmers in the county. The council’s chairman (Mr T. J. Brocherie) said the licence would put small rural retail businesses at a disadvantage because wholesale agents would undercut them. Cr D. E. Wright said the firm would “rip the cream off, and leave the other men struggling along.” Cr R. W. Craw said hawkers had been refused licences by other counties because they sold specialist lines, and were not around to service them for the rest of the year. Cr A..J. Boylen suggested county businesses might benefit from the competition, but Cr Brocherie said rural, shops had difficulty retaining existing business. “If they are just selling for themselves,” said Cr W. S. Mcßae, “there is no guarantee they will stand by their product.” Laie rales The council decided to allow late rates payers one “indiscretion” in five years. The council had ,no policy for handling late -payments, except where the county was at fault, said Mr Brochetie. Some councillors suggested that the present sys-

.tem of adding a 10 per cent surcharge to accounts of late payers, and considering complaints on their merits was adequate, but most accepted that the system should be streamlined. The council decided that rates bills sent out in August should be paid by a specified date in February, any late payment to be waived once in five years if paid within a fortnight of a reminder notice. Noxious weeds The council will revert to its normal method of serving notices on property owners who are not eradicating noxious weeds. It is having difficulty finding accommodation for workers employed by it under the Government temporary relief scheme to clear unscheduled noxious weeds. Cr Boleyn said the “normal” system was better. Under the temporary relief scheme people were “sitting down expecting the council to get rid of their weeds for them.” Beach reserve A 1.55 ha reserve should open to the public on Wainui beach next summer. The council has agreed to buy the land from Mr A. L. Stanbury for $6500, with Government assistance.The reserve will be used as a picnic ground, and will be fenced and grazed when

it is not in use. It will be the council’s only reserve in the area except for the Domain. The County Engineer (Mr K. A. Paulin) said the reserve would take cars. At present cars had to park on the roadside and small children ran across the road creating an accident hazard. District scheme County residents will have their first operative district scheme within several months. The council heard yesterday that the Planning Tribunal had approved the scheme pending a minor relaxation of a Rural 3 zoning ordinance. The scheme will control the development of the county, an area of 44031 ha, for the next 20 years. It covers zone uses, reserves and open spaces, land subdivision, public utilities, buildings, sites of historic and scientific interest and transport. It was published as a proposed scheme in 1974, and amended after public objections in 1976. Dump site

The council will make a decision on the Greens' Point dump and works yard site at its next meeting. The planning committee had made its recommendation, but it was still subject to legal and town planning processes, said Mr Brocherie.