LAND FOR SCHOOLS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 7000, 8 December 1948, Page 6

LAND FOR SCHOOLS

FUTURE NEEDS OF TE AWAMUTU COMPULSORY ACQUSITION OPPOSED. At Monday night’s meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough Council the town clerk, Mr T. H. Millar, read a letter he had sent to the Minister of Works (The Hon. R. Semple) relative to the council’s protest against the Auckland Education Board’s compulsorily taking land for the Te Awamutu College. The letter read:—

I am directed to solicit your intercession in the matter of a proposal of the Auckland Education Board to take an area of some seven acres of land to add to the existing area of approximately 10 acres of the Te Awamutu College.

“My council feels strongly in the matter and while not objecting wholly to the proposal it desires the proposal modified and its wishes respected for proper town planning. The council’s requests have been ignored and proceedings taken to acquire the land under the Public Works Act.

Briefly the history is that on July sth, 1948 the council was asked to consider a scheme of sub-division taking this seven acres. At its meeting of July sth, the proposal was considered by the council and resolved that the Education Board be asked to make provision for a strip (suggested two chains wide) to be eliminated from the plan, it being not in conformity with good town planning principles to preclude such a length of roadway from being available for residential sites.

No reply was received from the Board and the next notice the council had was public notice by the Board of intention to take under the Public Works Act, without any modification as requested by the council.

The council considers that the provisions of Sec. 34 of the Town Planning Act apply and the council could ‘absolutely or conditionally refuse its consent to the erection of any building or carrying out any work within its district or may definitely prohibit, etc.’ Having town planning under consideration and having given notice by letter dated- 7th July, 1948, the council considers that the subsequent action of the Board in proposing to take the land under the Public Works Act, if not ‘ultra vires’ , shows no spirit of co-operation. As you are aware, there have been subsequent developments which affect the proposal. I refer, Sir, to your letter of 27th October, 1948, addressed to His Worship relative to Te Awamutu (Air) Stores in which you intimated that it is proposed to allocate the first building to be released by the R.N.Z.A.F. to the Railway Department for use as a transit store. The council supposes with good reason, that this area must be provided with the facility of ready access to the borough and proposes that North Street be continued to the Stock Road and then continue on to this area. This proposal would require provision to be made for the road through one side of the land which the Board proposes to take.

The provision of land for the proposed road and the building sites would not mitigate against the intention to provide extra land for the College, but would modify the proposal with beneficial result to all. Again, it is contended that ratepayers who are repaying loan money borrowed to acquire and form this stock road should not be deprived of such a length of roadway with building frontages. It would be both unjust and uneconomic.

For an appreciation of the position I enclose copies of .the relevant cor-* respondence to date and a tracing of the area in question with the council’s suggestions marked thereon in red. My council earnestly solicits your intercession with your colleague, the Hon. Minister of Education, to prevent an injustice, if not a breach of the law.” Mr Millar said he had sent a copy of the letter to Mr G. F.‘ Sim, M.P. The council approved the clerk’s action in sending forward the letter. Cr Babbage said that the matter opened up a far wider aspect than the taking of the land in question. The Education Board was only “niggling” at the subject. The figures given recently relative to future educational expansion showed that it was possible that the College would require 40 acres of land and it would involve the taking of a far greater area of land. Mr Cox, the Director of Town Planning, was going to get in touch with the Education Board. Cr Babbage said that he did not see much use in the council lodging an appeal against the taking of the land. They should leave it to Mr Cox, for the whole question was bound up with the educational policy of the town and district. He moved that the Education Board be advised that the matter was receiving consideration and that Mr Cox would be taking the matter up with them.

The mayor said that if the Board carried out its plans it would alter the whole conception of the position. A huge sum would be involved if the plans were carried out. The town clerk advised going on with the. appeal for it was necessary to impress on the Education Board the need for some consultation with the Borough Council. Crs Quick and Babbage moved that the town clerk represent the council at the appeal. Cr Quick complimented Mr Millar on the letter and the manner in which he had handled the matter to date. The appeal is being heard at the Education Board’s office in Auckland today, and Mr Millar left for Auckland this morning.