Kamo To Be Amalgamated With Whangarei, Commission Rules

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1948, Page 5

Kamo To Be Amalgamated With Whangarei, Commission Rules

THE Local Government Commission has decided that the independent town district of Kamo shall be incorporated in the borough of Whangarei and that the borough boundaries should also be extended to include areas in the Fourth Avenue locality, the Morningside settlement and Whau Valley. The commission, which held an inquiry at Whangarei on June 29 to consider the extension of the borough boundaries, has reached these decisions. As a result the borough’s population will increase by several hundred and will pass the 10,000 mark.

In its findings regarding the Kamo town district’s future, the Commission states that there was evidence to show that a number of Kamo residents worked in Whangarei while bus timetables provided a frequent suburban service to Kamo as part of the metropolitan area of Whangarei.

and, as a by-pass road was contemaqi .(Oj foqno ue optAo.id of southern part of the town, the commission considered this land should be brought into the borough.

did not at present desire to subdivide their properties, Ihere was little doubt that building activity was extending in their direction.

This decision was .made in view of the fact that the town planning scheme made provision for this road, and that there was a need for control over building activity and sub-division in this area.

Commenting on the circumstances of the golf course, the commission's findings stated the tendency was for golf courses in the Dominion to be sold when the properties became so valuable for residential purposes that it was uneconomic to retain them purely for sport. In any case the club would be entitled to a 50 per cent reduction in rates for at least part of its area. While considering that the Whau Valley area should be in the borough, the commission was of the opinion that the Urban Farmlands Roll should be made available in this district. In connection with the distribution of electric power, the commission stated that the three areas were served by the North Auckland Power Board, whjch by agreement with the borough, had undertaken to allow these areas to be serviced with electricity by'the borough council.

There was counter evidence to show that a few people travelled to Kamo from Whangarei each day to work in the mine.

The by-pass road would materially enhance the value of the property and make sub-division possible and probbaly profitable. Ratepayers in the Whau Valley area were almost unanimous in their objection to > the incorporation of the area in the borough. The objections were based on the fact that the land was held in relatively large block to suit the convenience of the owners, who did not intend to sell or sub-divide.

The Housing Department was working on the northern boundary of the borough and there was evidence that future activities would spill over into the town district.

For town-planning purposes Kamo could be looked upon as part of Whangarei, and it was desirable to plan with this in mind. There was little difference between rates and from this viewpoint town district residents would not be prejudiced.

They contended that only the eastern part adjacent to the borough was suitable for sub-division, and that if the land was included in the borough the burden of rates would be excessive.

The incorporation of the .town district would enable the provision of drainage and sewerage reticulation in conjunction with borough plans. There appeared no doubt that Kamo was economically and socially part of Whangarei, and it seemed that Kamo would receive considerable advantages through its incorporation in the borough. No services at present available to Kamo would be lost and there was evidence that the town district would gain by participating in the services provided by the Whangarei borough. For these reasons, the commission concluded that the town districts should be absorbed by the borough. In regard to the three areas which were the subject of a petition considered at the inquiry, the commission’s findings stated that the railway settlement in the Morningside area was to all intents and purposes owned by the Railway Department, and was doubtless part of the urban area of Whangarei. The Fourth Avenue area was a prolusion of the county into the borough,

Therefore the commission found that these areas should be transferred from the Power Board’s district to the Borough Council’s electric supply district. No change should be made for the present in the supply of power by the North Auckland Power Board to the Kamo Town District.

As far as the- golf course was concerned the position was different. Subsequent to the decision to hold an inquiry the club had bought the land and desired to retain it as a golf course.

The club maintained that, even it the land was suitable for building purposes—with which contention there was no agreement—there was no intention to sub-divide. If the land came into the borough the rates would be excessive, despite the statutory reduction-' ■available in such circumstances.

Provisional schemes incorporating the changes decided upon by the commission have been issued in accordance with the findings. One month is allowed for the lodging of objections to the proposal, at the end of which time, if no objections are received the commission will proceed to approve of the schemes as final.

The commission agreed that there were properties used for market gardening and nursery purposes in this area, but the Urban Farmlands Roll would operate to alleviate additional rates if the properties came into the borough. Generally speaking, the residents of + hese areas regarded themselves os citizens of Whangarei and, while they

The commission's findings will result in the size of the borougn being incr«"sed to a considerable extent. The Whau Valley area extends over S 8 acres, while the other two areas total 52 acres.

The commission comprises Judge Goklstine as chairman. Messrs G. A. Monk, W. C. E. George and J. W. Andrews ns members.