No More Cottages On County Beach Reserves

Northern Advocate, 10 May 1940, Page 8

No More Cottages On County Beach Reserves

No more permits to erect beach cottages on reserves of the County Council are to be granted by the Whangarei County Council. This motion was moved by Cr. A. Clarke.

Opening the discussion, the county chairman (Mr J. A S Mac Kay) said it was an important matter and the real point was whether the reserves should be preserved for the benefit of people as a whole or should be made available to only a few who wished to erect beach cottages. He was not speaking particularly of Whananaki, but of all reserves held by the council. The council should deal carefully with the matter and not leave itself open for blame in the future. To grant, for a peppercorn rental, year-to-year permission to a man to erect a beach cottage, only to tell him within a few years to remove it, would entail greater hardship than to refuse permission altogether, Mr, Mac Kay said.

Cheap Buildings Not Desirable Cheap classes of buildings were not desirable on the waterfront, yet a man could not be expected to erect a better dwelling unless he could be given some security of tenure, Mr Mac Kay added. He sympathised with those wanting to erect beach cottages, but felt they could secure seaside sections from private individuals. “It is our special duty to protect the general public,” he concluded. Cr. A. J McKay (Waipu) agreed with the opinions expressed by the chairman. Lang’s Beach, Waipu Cove, and Ruakaka demonstrated how small seaside townships could spring up where private individuals were given the opportunity to cut up their land for bachbuilding and camping sites. Cr. A. Clarke then moved the motion, which was eventually passed by the council. Plenty of Room at Whananaki Cr. W. C. B. Powell disagreed, saying that. at Whananaki in particular there was ample land available, to cater for both one-day picnickers and those who wished to erect baches. He estimated there was 70 acres of reserve there. Cr. R. Feaver suggested that a middle course might be adopted in which the council could set aside some areas for picnickers and others for those who wished to erect beach cottages. No amendment was moved, and the motion was carried by a substantial majority when put to the vote.