TAURANGA CONTROVERSY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22543, 7 October 1936, Page 17

TAURANGA CONTROVERSY

SITE FOR REST ROOM COUNCIL ACTION DELAYED [BT TELEGRAM —OWN CORRESPONDENT] TAURANGA, Tuesday Further delay in the choice of a site for the women's rest room at Tauranga resulted from a discussion at a special meeting of the Tauranga Borough Council called for the purpose of appointing two members of the council to sign the lease of the site offered on the waterfront by the Railway Department. The Mayor, Mr. L. R. Wilkinson, explained that the papers in connection with the lease did not arrive until after the last council meeting. He moved that the Mayor and deputy-mayor sign and seal the lease with the Raihvav Department for the site. Mr. A. W. E very seconded.

The deputy-mayor, Mr. A. N. lies, said he objected to signing at this stage. The last meeting was an informal one and it was then'tacitly decided that no rush tactics would be employed. Many were opposed to the Herries Park site on the waterfront and investigations should be .made, but not for th§ purpose of blocking the work. The council must be satisfied. A petition had been sent forward with a covering letter to the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, objecting to the erection of the building on the waterfront site, and the council should not ignore the opinion of over 300 signatories. There was also an offer of the Foresters' Hall site, which was put forward by the womenfolk as a definite proposition. Mr. lies moved as an amendment that the signing of the lease should bo withheld until the council had considered the petitions on the subject and until the Minister's reply to the petition already sent was received. Mr. C. T. McFarlane seconded. A letter was read from Mr. H. E. Olding objecting to the site for the rest room on the waterfront, and stating that he had forwarded a petition containing 365 signatures, against the site, to the Minister of Railways. Mrs. A. Faulkner, hon. secretary of the women's representative committee, advised that at the last meeting of the committee a resolution was unanimously carried asking it to erect the rest room on Iho Herries Park site as soon as possible. The Mayor said the agitation in opposition to the Herries Park site was from interested parties, and he claimed that the majority of the people were in favour of the site. .Mr. lies' amendment was carried by six votes to four.