BAY OF PLENTY NEEDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19056, 29 June 1925, Page 12

BAY OF PLENTY NEEDS.

DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE'S LIST COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS. [BX TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAURANGA. Saturday. Tho Tauranga Borough Council last evening discussed the question of contributing toward the cost of the representation of the Bay oE Plenty m the Auckland court at the Dunedin Exhibition and decided to subsidise up to £SO any subscriptions that may be raised locally towards the project. . , , It was stated that a petition is to l.e lodged against the bill which the Borough Council, is promoting for this session of Parliament to make provision for the reduction for rating purposes of valuations of farming lands in the borough of lauranga not suitable for building purP °The Bay of Plenty Development League lias received a letter from the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister for Lands, regarding the opening of lands in the Waihi swamp area, Tauranga (/Ounty. The Minister advises that an inspection of the area has been made by an officer of the Department of Agriculture, in company with an officer of the Lands Department, and they have reported that with the exception of a few sections which could be used for flaxgrowing the land is suitable for settlement purposes. It has been decided, however, to. withhold these sections from selection until further information is obtained regarding tho consolidation of the peat. In the light of past experience this is a most important consideration in the settlement or swamp land. The Development League, at its annua! meeting at Opotiki this week, adopted numerous resolutions, including the following"That the league expresses its approval of the project of getting direct slapping with Southern ports and authorises the executive to act in conjunction with other bodies in their endeavours to secure such a service; that the Government be urged to push on with the main East Coast railway line from Taneatua to Opotiki; that the Government be urged to send an expert to classify Government lands in the Bay of Plenty and suggests conditions under which such lands should be sold; that the Postal Department be asked to establish a .chief post office at Tauranga; that the league urge upon the Government the desirability of making provision on next estimates for a railway connecting Rotorua with the East Coast trunk railway; that the Government be asked to establish a branch of the Government Agricultural laboratory in the Bay of Plenty; that the. • Tauranga County Council be supported in urging that the Kaimai Road be declared a Government road; that the Tauranga County Council be supported in urging the Main Highways Board and the Minister to have the Tauranga-Waihi Road declared a main highway, and certain portions thereof a Government road; and that the Minister in charge of tourist resorts bo asked to consider placing a vote 011 the estimates for the erection of a landing stage at White Island, and the development of the island as a tourist resort. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follow:—President, Mr. B. C. Robbins (Tauranga); vice-presidents, Messrs. G. S. Moody (Opotiki), C. H. Clinkard (Rotorua), C. E. Macmillan, M.P. (Tauranga). Donald Grant (Te Puke), W. Reid (Whakatane); secretary and treasurer, Mr. R. P. Baigent; auditor, Mr. R, L. Thomas (Tauranga),