REVENUE FIGURES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 101, 15 December 1939, Page 5

REVENUE FIGURES

EXPENDITURE <M y di&OI»E BEACH GROWING REQUIREMENTS ■■ff'trr' Interesting figure# setting out the revenue and expenditure on Ohope Beach were - given by* Mr H. C. McjCready at the meeting of ratepayers last Tuesday evening. The information resulted in an animated effort on the part of those present to put forward constructive suggestions for the betterment of the place and its improvement as a resort. Loan interest rates including the Harbour Interest Rate and the Hospital rates total £284 18s (Tel", said Mr McCready and the general I'ate totals £356' 3s I'd. Excluding lands and property of the council, 226 properties at Ohojle are rated. Ohope road expenditure for the year ended March 1939 was: Ohope Hill and Beach Roads £700 18s ;Td, Otawairere Track £5 18s lOd. For,seven months of the current year expenditure on the roads above in the same order, had been £224 4s and £3 0s 3d respectively. Estimated expenditure on Ohope Beach and Cliff Roads for the current year \Vas £529. The above figures did not include expenditure on the Wainui Main Highway portion of which is traversed 1 byj Ohope traffic, expenditure on the whole length of which road was last year £1015 19s lid and for seven, months of' the current year has been £730 18s 2d.

Domain expenditure including Ceil tennial for year ended 31st March 1939 was £267'1 (is 10 and for the current year has been £98 19s. It is estimated that Ohope Domain expenditure including Centennial' for the balance of this financial year will be approximately £270.

"The whole position," said Mr McGready, "is aggravated by the Government proposal to run the main: highway to the East Coast somewhere in this direction, and' the strong representations made by Wlia katane that it should come via the beach." It was now hung up and the country did not feel inclined lo spend money on permanent works while the possibility of the road being declared a main highway existed." "Is there still a chance of the road coming this way? Or has it been post poned indefinitely?" asked Mr Greagor. Mr McCready said that as far as 1 he knew, there were still possibilities of the road coming through alright but just what course it was going to take he could not "The unfortunate thing about Ohope," he said, "is that it lias just happenedNo one thought it was going to grow so rapidly, and become the important place it now is. If Auckland had this beach within a mile or two of its boundaries, no amount of money would be grudged to develop and improve it. It is without doubt one of the finest natural beaches X have seen, and we can at least get together and do our best to make it even better. When Nature has endowed us with such a gift we should | appreciate it!**

Mr Runnerstrum in hearty agreement said that he had travelled the world comparatively recently and could say without fear of dispute that for safety, charm and natural beauty there Ave re no other beaches to surpass Ohope.