OHOPE CINDERELLA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 82, 5 June 1946, Page 5

OHOPE CINDERELLA

VOTE TO DOMAIN BOARD COUNTY COUNCIL COUNCILLORS AT VARIANCE That splendid natural asset to the Whakatane Borough and County, Ohope Beach, with its Seven miles of broad sand and perfect setting of native bush as green background, was the subject of contentious discussion at the County Council meeting last Tuesday when the Ohope Domain Board ‘confidently’ made its annual approach for the usual grant of £IOO. The Council was sharply divided on the subject, in view of the Finance Committee’s recommendation that the grant this year should be halved.

Crs Hunter and Cawte contended that the Borough owed a far greater degree of support to the beach than the County, the residents of which were seldom able to get to the beach at all. In view - of the fact that the Council was in the habit of only granting £lO annually, they did not feel inclined to maintain the County’s usual figure. As soon as the townspeople realised their responsibility in Ohope’s direction, they would be prepared to review the County figure which they maintained should not exceed £SO this year.

Cr McCready speaking as a member of the Ohope Domain Board, said it would be impossible for the Board to carry on if the figure were reduced. The Council itself had not been able to administer the beach as economically, and he for one would favour handing it back to the Council as a liability, which he was certain would cost it well over £2OO annually. Most of the work in connection with the dressing sheds and convenences was done voluntarily for the Board otherwise it simply could not hope to function. Should Help Itself

Cr Burt thought that-residents at Ohope should help themselves. He mentioned the fact that Matata had raised £6OO for the purpose of developing its own Domain. Ohope should folow suit.

Cc McCready promptly moved an -amendment to the standing motion that the grant should be £IOO. In seconding, Cr Luxton said that the Council had to admit that it was glad to hand over the Domain to the Board at £IOO a year. The beach was one of the finest assets in the County, and because it was £4O in credit, it was not a fair thing to cut down the grant. He admitted that the Borough grant of £lO was miser- : able, but felt that the Council had a definite responsibility, Cr McCready: I admit that the Borough’s effort is miserable, and that’s praising it. The Question of Precedent

Cr McGougan: When we consider that throughout the County we have •domains which only receive a grant -of £lO or thereabouts, I think we should be careful, although I feel we should do all we can to assist . in keeping Ohope up-to-date.

Cr Cawte: We’re not bound to pay £IOO annually. Cr McCracken said that one of the thoughts behind the reduction was an endeavour to stimulate the Board to greater action. Nothing much was heard of its activities. The Borough representative did not attend meetings and generally there appeared to be a laxity. If the Board was prepared to waken up a little he was sure the Council would reconsider its decision at a future date, A Comparison .. Cr Leslie thought the £SO little enough. If the Domain Board had the funds it could carry out the improvements it had in mind. “If you take the Borough,” he said, “and compare its population and valuation with the County, you may find that the £lO grant comes out about right. We should watch that point so that the Borough doesn’t throw it back at us.”

Cr McCready said that if the County would take over the sanatory arrangements at the beach, the . Board would probably be very -happy with the £SO. As it stood at present, the Council simply did not appreciate the free work which was being done. Cr Wardlaw: What about the precedent we create, if all the other domains in the county approach us for £IOO grants? -

Chairman’s Summing Up The chairman (Mr J. L. Burnett) said that he considered Ohope came under a different category to other Domains in the County. The whole question had been given full publicity and as had been remarked, the Council had been very glad to get rid of the beach for the sum of £IOO. He did not think the Council begrudged the £SO, and members had to remember that Ohope was their responsibility. It lay in the County and had to be administered. He favoured the full grant and from the discussion it would be shown that the Council would like to see the activities of the Board livened up. It was decided to make the full normal grant of £IOO by six votes ) three. 1