Owners fight to keep beach baches

Press, 29 December 1980, Page 5

Owners fight to keep beach baches

PA Masterton Sooner or later residents of Ocean Beach. Palliser Bay, might have to lie down in front of bulldozers to prevent the destruction of their baches, according to a determined Mr W. Tregaskis, chairman of the newly formed Ocean Beach Residents’ Association.

But that would be a last resort. Mr Tregaskis said. In the meantime, the 62 bach owners were taking all the legal steps they could to preserve their property against demolition.

The baches were erected before 1960, when an agreement was made between Government departments and the Featherston County Council to remove them within 20 years. Action taken so far includes engaging a solicitor to help them in their fight against a Lands and Survey Department decision to have the houses removed from Forestry, Crown and county land, and enlistment of support from the Featherston Borough Council, Featherston Businessmen’s Association, and Chamber of Commence.

Mr Tregaskis said the

solicitor would review- the legal situation and visit the 62 houses under threat of removal. The solicitor will contact the member of Parliament for Wairarapa and Minister of Police (Mr Couch) to get an audience with the Minister of Lands (Mr V. S. Young). “We have not put our case' to the Minister (of Lands) yet because we have always been represented by "the county in the past," Mr Tregaskis said.

“Now that it has gone as far as it can and is no longer able to give us support. it is up to us to put the facts before the Minister,” he said. The bach owners have been given until Marell 31, to remove the buildings. Mr Tregaskis said most of the 62 bach owners would be at Ocean Beach over the Christmas-New-Year period.

His committee had met the Mayor of Featherston, Mr W. A. McKerrow, who had promised to' take their case to the Featherston Businessmen’s Association and Chamber of Commerce.

“They are 100 per cent for us ”_Mr Tregaskis said, i