THAT BEACH ROAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 277, 28 February 1941, Page 5

THAT BEACH ROAD

the hope of ohope deputation to county COUNCIL "Once more to the breach . . ." appeared to sigh around the Council room when five members of the Ohope Ratepayers' and Progress League filed in to wait as a deputation on the County Hnuncil on Tufsdav in the dedication of the northern section of the Ohope Beachi Road'. However, the deputation put its case scundly to earn the commendation of the chairman, and it was the decision of the Council that the matter be fully gone into with a view to seeing what could be done to have the road made public.

The decision of the Council included commencing the March meeting early so that the members could visit the during the day and, with the engineer flagging off the roadway, obtain a full understanding of the position.

Mr A. J. Canning, chairman of the. League, outlined the views of his committee and pointed out that the matter was one which had been before the council for years and had been repeatedly shelved. The speaker stated that the trouble had been caused as a result of the council, years ago, when the sections were sub-divided, allowing the owners to fence so long as a right of way was given for access. The position now was that one section of the community was working against the other. Ninety or ninetyfive per cent of the residents wished to have the road made public and dedicated and a number were willing to allow the road to encroach on their properly, but one or two others were not agreeable ,nnd would not open the right of way which had been originally provided for, and had fences erected cutting off the access to one end of the beach.

Mr Canning felt that the time had arrived when the council should take action. He stated that it had been suggested that to dedicate the road would involve the council in considerable expense as a portion of some sections would have to be taken and compensation paid. This was not so for if the council merely insisted on the right-of-way marked on the plans of subdivision the cost would be nil.

•In support of Mr Canning, Mr W. Sullivan said the provision for access had been made in years gone by, but that it had not been anticipated that the settlement would grow to the extent it had and the provision was not as it should be with a public road giving access to all sections on the beach. The position was now that one man bjad fenced across the area which he should have left as right-of-way and blocked the access to one end of the heach. "If the people at the other end of the beach did the same then there would be a civil war, I think," continued Mr Sullivan. "Everyone in the> country is entitled to access to the beach and it is the council's job to see that it is given."

The speaker added that he had no personal interest but that he wished to assist the development of the settlement. It was up to the people of Whakatane to make the beach such that every person in the Dominionj could make full use of it if they desired and to +.his end some x-esidents had offered even to give part of their sections for a public road, but another smaller section of the community was working against the effort.

Mr Sullivan stated that the trouble had been the result of an honest mistake of the Council's in the past and he felt that the time had now arrived when the error should be rectified. That the public spirit of the League had been proved by the Ohope residents willingness to be rated to provide the road ovdr the hills to the beach was claimed ,by Mr F. B. Cutler, another member of the deputation. He added that the position at present was that the residents on the beach were paying high rates—higher than levied in the Borough in some instances —yet because the access had not been dedicated as a public road the council was not bound to maintain it. Such a position was not correct. Mr Canning in reply to the chairman claimed that signatures to a recent petition had been obtained by a misrepresentation of facts and in this statement lie was supported by Mt Sullivan.

Cr H. C. MeCready, j'oiue; 1 with the speakers in slating that ptx ols ° who hacl not attended a meeting held when the proposed road was discussed hAd obtained incorrect information. At thai meeting the county engineer had stated that about half a chain would be the most re-' cmired to be taken of any section to give the full chain roadway, but this had been "stretched" to 2 chains and so on so that signatures could be obtained for a petition. That the present fence line was the approximate south west boundary of the required roacl was-

cm )>y Mr Sullivan and in this statement he was supported by the engineer. The speaker said that the ratepayers should not be placed in the position whereby they had to obtain petitions when it was the council's job to rectify an error of the past and take action. The engineer, Mr C. H. Brebner, said that if the existing fence line was taken as the road boundary sufr ficient Avidth for a road would be available except that Avhen section 5 and 6 Avere reached the road Avould need to go inside the fence line. Those sections Avere not so deep and the loss of land Avould be more serious to them than to those at the other end of the 1-5S block. Stating that, lie Avould prefer to have other parties present, Mr Cutler said that definite misstatements had been made. The trouble Avas that Avhern certain residents had learned that a road Avas wanted they had immediately fenced right to the Avater and barred the access erecting notices forbidding trespassing. These people Avere aAA'are that a right-of-Avay must be given according to the conditions of sub-division and it Avas quite Avrong that they should defy the County Council and the great majority of the community of the beach. Cr Luxton: The right-of-Avay is way is there and the public has the right of access to either end of the beach. It Avas stated that there had not been more than 10 to 15 feet of erosion at the end of the beach and that there Avas room for the roadway, although it might not be lull Avidth.

The chairman of the Council congratulated the deputation on the manner in which they had presented the facts and slated that problem was not a new one. The trouble had come about by a mistake made by a previous council but really nc blame could be attached as it could hardly be thought then that the settlement ; would grow as it has done. The council would go into the matter carefully end see what could be done*. He did not anticipate that the task would be an easy one but the council was not afraid to 'do l what was right and if the dedication of the road was for the betterment of Ohope then the council would have it attended to.

Discussion was continued for a short time after the deputation left and it Avas decided that during the March meeting a visit be paid to the beach and the matter fully investigated.