Seperate Town District.

Opunake Times, Volume LVIV, Issue 3650, 5 December 1922, Page 3

Seperate Town District.

:o— o j MATTER AGAIN DISCUSSED^

At the last meeting of the Town Board Mr H Holmes moved : “That in the opinion of this Board the time has arrived when it is in the best interests of ratepayers and residents to have the Opunake Town District gazetted a separate town district and this Board hereby resolves to make application forthwith to the Governor General asking for an Order in Council gazetting such separate town, district.” This was seconded by. Mr Richards. '

Mr Trotter moved aa amendment that a committee be set up to go into the matter and report to next meeting. He was with the mover if the change would be a benefit. This lapsed for want of a seconder. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried, Mr G Feaver and Dr Watt voting with the movers. At last night's meeting the matter was again discussed, the chairman taking strong exception to a letter in the press negarding the separation proposal, Rem lining in the county was not, he said, a matter of sentiment with him because hie considered it best in the commercial life of Opunake. He held that the town could not manage on a 2d rate, Even if the county was get ting a little the better of it over the rate it was worth it for the Council s influence. Mr Holmes : That is not the view of the ratepayers Continuing, Mr Trotter said that if the town severed from the county it would put the place back 20 years. The Board was throwing away a valuable influence. He would fight the change because it meant ruin to Opunake, Mr Holmes said he regretted the attitnda taken up by the chairman. The resolution was carried by the Board and it was the chairman's duty to abide by the resolution. It appeared to him that any resolution which did not meet with the chairman's view was considered by the chairman as unwise He had no right to block any resolution carried by the Board, The ch .ifman : It is my duty to block anything not in the interests of the rate* payers. The matter then dropped. 1 he Under Secretary wrote acknowledge ing receipt of letter asking that the town De gazetted a separate town district and asking for a declaration re population, when the matter would be considered. Toe clerk staled that the necessary decla* ration, etc., had been sent.