ELMORE ESTATE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4333, 20 September 1950, Page 8

ELMORE ESTATE

TWO LEASES GRANTED NURSERY AND ORCHARDS LAND ON WHANGAPOUA ROAD

Members of the Coromandel County Council last Wednesday visited the property recently acquired on Whangapoua road, known as the Elmore estate, and discussed the question of a lease of part of the property to Messrs Harrison and Hackett, who have established a citrus nursery, ori chard and market garden project on a portion of the estate. The matter was discussed at some length at last council meeting. Applications from Messrs Harrison and Hackett had been received and councillors by viewing the ground, knew just where the .boundaries came and the general situation of the land. One application was frq|n Mr Hackett for two acres on the lower side of road and the other for approximately 6i acres on the other side from Mr Harrison. Gr A. J. Denize said that the'land in question was very valuable, particularly on the right side of the road wliere a road could be bulldozed in and many valuable building sections could be sold by the council. He advocated that the men be compensated for work they had done and the council should not consider leasing any of the ground. ' Or W. J. Hare pointed out that both men were, returned soldiers, neither of them ih good health and he thought

it would be far more beneficial for Coromandel if they were established on the land than if the council cut the land up for building sections. The council could extend in other directions. The clerk read out clauses relating to the leasing of land not required immediately for the council’s use and 21 years was the limit of any -lease. The chairman, Mr E. Deeble, said that flowers and fruit were a potential asset to (Coromandel, just as essential as building sections and houses. There was a moral obligation to give them some sort of tenure and to rehabilitate them so they could recoup their health. It was finally proposed by Ch T. V. Whittle and seconded by Cr Hare that Mr Harrison be given a lease for 21 years for the top piece of ground, with a? right of termination upon 12 months notice if required by the council for good reason before that time. The motion / was duly carried, Cr Denize voting against it. . Or Denize had moved an amendment that the lease be for I'o years but the motion lapsed for want of a seconder. It was proposed by Cr F. H. Purdom and seconded by Cr S. Strongman that Mr Hackbtt be given a five year lease of the’ smaller piece of ground, the motion being carried. An application was received from Mr J. Hawkeswood for a portion of the ground acquired by the council for a holding paddock for the use of Whangapoua settlers when bringing their cattle in to the sale. It was resolved that the application of Mr Hawkeswood 'be referred back to him with the suggestion that he contact the other farmers in the Whangapoua area and organise a joint application for the area as a holding paddock.