OVER THE FENCE

Northern Advocate, 20 January 1936, Page 7

OVER THE FENCE

BANANA SKINS THROWN, COMPLAINTS AGAINST CAMPERS AT PAIHIA, A letter from a Paihia resident was produced at Thursday’s meeting of the Bay of Islands County Council, complaining that campers are wont to pitch their tents on the roadway which skirts the foreshore at Paihia. The custom of bivouacking for the day is also popular. This is carried out by erecting or suspending ’a tent fly or some other suitable fabric from a motor car or kindred vehicle,' and tying the loose ei.-d to the nearest front fence on the promenade. “During the day empty beer bottles and banana skins come over the fence in profusion. Property on the waterfront may depreciate in value if this is allowed to continue.” The writer asked if the council could put an end to the nuisance by refusing to allow campers on the road.

Mr H. T. Atkinson, the chairman of ihe council, sc id that h$ had no objection to the campers or the bivouachers. However, the throwing of refuse over the nearest fence had to be discouraged. There were probably more campers in front of his house at Paihia than any other, as shelter was provided by trees.

Cr. Smith considered that there were any amount of available spots for seasiders to go to without stopping on the road at all. “Is the idea to make Paihia more privileged to people who have property there?” asked Cr. L. Williams. “None whatever,” replied Mr Atkinson.

“The roadside is a convenient place to stop, whether it be at Paihia or the Waipoua Forest,” Cr. Williams continued. “Have we the right to prevent citizens from enjoying that liberty?” “We only want to stop them from camping there indefinitely,,” observed Mr Atkinson. “Personally I have no objection, other than that refuse is thrown.”

“As one who goes to the beach often,” remarked Cr. Smith, “there is nobody more against making Paihia an exclusive place.” There is a strip on the seaward side of the road, which is Crown property and councillors agreed that the general public could not be excluded from that.

A motion was put to the meeting that campers be not allowed to spend more than one day on the surveyed road, and that a man be appointed to enforce the regulation, at a fee not exceeding £lO per annum. Cr. Smith did not consider this was adequate and suggested that campers be prohibited altogether. “That is much too drastic,” said Mr Atkinson, who pointed out that this would place all the roads in Paihia under a complete no-parking regulation.

Cr. Bates’ suggestion that notices be erected did not have much support. “They wouldn’t take the slightest notice of them,” said Mr Atkinson. The motion was adopted and Cr. A. E. Bisset was asked to appoint a suitable man.