NEW MILITARY AREA

Opotiki News, Volume III, Issue 315, 25 September 1940, Page 2

NEW MILITARY AREA

RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNMENT CASTING VOTE FAVOURS TAURANGA The mooting of the Bay of Plenty local body representatives at Tauranga held last week, convened by Mr. L. It. Wilkinson, Mayor ef Tauranga, was f. r the purpose of considering the H r me Guard in relation to existing military areas and followed a recommendation from the Hon. I). Wilson's meeting at Paeroa that the Bay of Plenty should form a separate military district. At the present time the Area Headquarters is at Paeroa and it was thought that for the proper administration of the Home Guard scheme a Bay' of Plenty area should be established.

Together with his apology for absence, Mr. T. Jackson, Mayor of Rotorua, to whom an invitation had been extended, pointed out that Rotorua was the logical centre for the Bay of Plenty as far as military value was concerned and this view was supported later in the discussion by Mr. J. L. Burnett, Whakatane County chairman. Mr. Wilkinson however, contended that Tauranga was the natural centre and moved that a recommendation to that effect should go forward to the Government. An amendment favouring Rotorua was immediately forthcoming, rt being pointed out that Tauranga was on the edge of the proposed area and administration might thus bo affected.

On being put to the meeting the Whakatano County, Whakatanc Borough, Opotiki County and Opotiki Borough supported the amendment, while Tauranga County, Tauranga Borough, Mt. Maungamii Town Board and the To Puke Borough voted agamst it. As a previous ruling of the chairman (Mr. Wilkinson) made it possible for those present only to vote, Mr. Jackson’s opinion was not sustained and the chairman’:) casting vote went against the amendment. It was pointed out afterwards that the recommendation Kail been made on the representation of one county while two counties (Whakafane and Opotiki) had not favoured it. Rotorua opinion also had not been taken into account.