SITE FOR A PORT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4332, 18 September 1950, Page 5

SITE FOR A PORT

BAY OF PLENTY COAST TAURANGA FAVOURED OHINEMiURI COUNCIL’S VIEW “It was a worth while conference,” said Cr 8. iH. Thompson, at the September meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council, when reporting upon the confetrenae of local (bodies convened by the Taa(ranga Hiambour Board for the purpost nf ptacing before the interested bodies (the position with regard to the mfinmiitee of enquiry sat up by the Government to decide the site of the port for the Bay of (Plenty. Cr Thompson, who attended the conference as the representative of the Ohinemuri County Council, said that 14 local bodies were represented! at the meeting—Tauranga Harbour Board, Tauranga Borough Council, Tauranga County Council, Mount Maunganui Borough Council, Rotorua Borough Council, Rotorua County Council, Te Ptike Borough Council, Opotiki Borough Council, Waihi Borough 'Council, Te Aroha Borough Council, Piako County Council, Matamata County Council and Putaruru Borough Council. From the point of view off ratepayers in the Ohinemuri County the all impotrfant point-was that it was 'not the intention of the people of IWtenga to put forward any proposal to 'levy any rate off ad jacent counties. It was certainly necessary to have a port for the Bay of Plenty and that fact had become more apparent as the congestion in the port off Auckland increased.

Cr Thompson informed members that, large concerns* handling fertilisers were prepared to build works at Tauranga and he had supported the proposal on behalf of the council as the scheme would not bring any obligations upon the ratepayers in the Ohinemuri county but would bring many benefits to the people of the Thames Valley. The conference, continued' Cr Thompson, had come to three unanimous decisions:—

1. "That this meeting of representatives of local’ bodies, in and adjacent to the of Plenty, are strongly of the opinion that as Tauranga is a good natural harbour already meeting the neejis of the district as an overseas anil coastal port, there is no need' to consider the expenditure of a problematical' bat necessarily very large sum of public money in the construction of an artificial, harbour, only some <6O miles away, particularly as, in the light off, experience, the effectiveness of such an artificial harbour is also very problematical, and that this meeting- is strongly in favour off the retention of Tauranga as the port for the Bay off Plenty.

2. "That this meeting of the representatives of local bodies in and adjacent to the Bay of Plenty pledges its full co-operation with; the Tauranga Harbour Boatd in the preparation and 'presentation of evidence to the committee of enquiry appointed by the Government to investigate the site for the port for the Bay of Plenty.

3. “That in view of the two proceeding unanimous resolutions the asked that the committee of enquiry should receive evidence ftom all concerned publicaHy.” Councillors thankbd Cr Thompson for his report and carried a resolution approving of his action in supporting the claims of Tauranga.