A. AND P. GROUNDS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 30 July 1927, Page 4

A. AND P. GROUNDS

JOINT COMMITTEE’S REPORT. SCHEME TO SECURE PROPERTY. PURCHASE BY BOROUGH AND COUNTY.

Recently the Hawera Rotary Club appointed a special committee to confer with a special committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association with the object of devising ways and means of securing the A. and P. Showgrounds to the Association, the town and the district for all time. The outcome of the deliberations of the joint committee of both bodies is the following report, which was submitted to this afternoon’s meeting of the General Committee of the A. and P. Association:— As a result of the discussions between our select committee and the committee appointed by the Rotary Ciub, it was agreed that the following proposals be submitted firstly to ■our general committee, and if it is approved, to the Hawera County Council and Hawera Borough Council for their approval and endorsement:—

That the two local bodies named be approached to acquire the grounds, including the three approaches to the grounds, at a sum of £13.000, to promote the necessary legislation entitling the two local bodies jointly to effect such acquisition, and thereafter to submit the sanctioning of a special loan c f that amount for the purpose of acquiring such ground, pledging as

security for such loan the ratable value of each authority either on the basis of capital or unimproved values; on acquisition the grounds to be controlled by a special committee of an equal num ber of representatives of the two local authorities, not exceeding eight in number.

The legislation above provided foi to give wide powers to the controlling committee to grant the use and occupation of such grounds or any part thereof 'on a scale of charges as such committee shall determine and to incorporate :n such committee power to lease such lands or any part thereof, and to sell as a whole or in part such surplus lands as may not be required for recreation purposes, but limiting the right of sale to an area not exceeding 25 acres. Such legislation to make provision for the use by the Egmont A. and P. Association during the term of its existence for a period of one month in each year of such portion of the grounds as we have previously used for the pur pose of holding our agricultural shows at a rental to be fixed by the controlling committee, but not to exceed £2OO per annum for the first ten years, such maximum rental to be subject to revision by the local authorities concerned every ten vears.

In’ the event of the representatives of the two local bodies on the committee being unable to agree on any matter such dispute to be referred, to r.lie stipendary magistrate for the time being exercising jurisdiction in Hawera.

RATE OVER COUNTY AND BOROUGH;

If this proposal is adopted by the local authorities mentioned the rate required would be very small, as the following figures indicate: — The unimproved value of the Hawera County and Borough is £2,820,549, and a rate of S-IOOd in the £ would produce £940 per annum or 6s 8d on £IOOO. These figures are based on a sinking fund loan covering a term of 30 years and are calculated as if no revenue would be derived from the grounds, but as it is estimated that, a revenue of £SOO per annum is assured the above rate, would be considerably reduced. The reasons moving the committee co make these recommendations are: — (1) The town and district is faced with the danger of suffering the irreparable loss of its annual agricultural and pastoral show, and also the • community may suffer the loss of the playing area and the appointments on the grounds, with the difficulty of replacing the present facilities. (2) The purchase of the land by the local authorities should be a reasonably sound investment, as portion of the property not required for slows and recreation can be subdivided and sold for residential sites and provisions for this course are included in He proposed legislation. There are some 21 sections facing Waihi Road which could be cut- up at once. A footpath is being constructed adjacent to these sections at the present time. The purchase price of the whole area, with the improvements, is less than £250 per acre, so that with the gradual growth •of the community and the sale of the surplus iana, the grounds could be made self-supporting. (3) If the town loses its show and showgrounds it will suffer a serious loss of status, there being no facilities for holding shows or for the playing of representative football matches. (4) The land available for sub-divi-sion faces the sun and otherwise is eminently suitable for residential pur pesos, while the new school at Turuturu adds to the prospective value of the grounds for residential purposes. (5) The committee feels that the present proposition affords an opportunity of acquiring this open space for public, purposes at a reasonable figure and that unless something along these lines is done the community will suffer the loss of its show and playing area. [The discussion on the proposal is reported on page 7 of this issue.]