KOPUTARA BEACH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1937, Page 3

KOPUTARA BEACH.

ROAD ACCESS QUESTION. What more or less amounted to a stalemate .was revealed at the monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council, yesterday, when reference was made to the formation and dedication of a road leading from Himatangi to the Koputara Beach. It was mentioned that the persons interested in the development of the beach resort expected a contribution through the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple) toward the laying out of the road. The Public Works Department, however, would not spend money on the proposed route until it had been dedicated, and the County Council would not accept dedication until the road had been formed to comply with certain specifications. Therefore the promoters could not take advantage of any possible assistance from the Public Works Department. After a general discussion, the council decided to inform the Public Works Department that representations had been made to it for the opening of a road to the beach from Himatangi, and that the department be further informed that the council would accept dedication of the proposed roadway provided the department would give an absolute undertaking to form and metal the road to the council’s specifications. In moving the motion, the chairman (Cr. W. E. Barber) expressed the opinion that the council should not adopt a “dog-in-the-manger” attitude in deliberately blocking development, but should be Very careful not to become involved in expenditure of ratepayers’ money in that direction. Or. A. N.f Morcom, who seconded the motion, explained that his view was that county councils had to movewith the times, and if there was anything which would -justify amalgamation of county councils more than anything else it was backwardness, I