LAND FOR INDUSTRIES

Chronicle (Levin), 17 April 1946, Page 4

LAND FOR INDUSTRIES

v Nearby Reskients Protesl council's decisionstands A petition sigi^efii vby Ahirty-one i residerits or ratepayefs m-th'e vicin- _ !ity was: received; at thas-" month's j meeting of the Levin Borough {-Oounch,. '"protestfng' agaanst. the ' council's decision . to ' make an area !of four and a-h'aif acres of land be1 longing to the oorough,. and sito \ latted near the gasworks,*. availab f 'to suitable ilidustfial- firms:,; with: a . ivie'w to encouraging the e^tablish- , ment of secondhiy ihdustries in the town. '' , j The protest was lodged on- the ground that industries would ereate a nuisance to residents in the area, and' that the land: in question was ' more suitable for residehtial purposes than industriai. A fieputatiDn'1 ort*i^sis4:iiniP- of Messrs J. McLeod arid

W. J... Blake waited on the couneil in support of the petition. Mr. McLeod said that the signa- - tories to the- petition were' not objecting to factories starting.in the town-, provided tney v^erei bullt, in the proper' area. This particular locality was soleiy a residentiai one, and the people li'ving there felt that the four ana a-halt «.cres should) oe used for that purpose. . - . Mr. Blake said u.at the signatoiiies felt that to open an industriai area iri the midst of a residentiai area; was not qrate fair" to the a-d- = joihing residents.- The. locality. was quite a popuiar. part as eyideneed by the numoer of homes which had been buiit there reeently. The ; couneil was of the opinion that the 'land was unsuitable for housiing, but it was felt that if it was sub- . divided there would be ax ready d'emand for the secuons. It was considered that industries could W«U , be' piaced in another- part of thp . i town. . . .

1, . The Mayor (Mr.,H. B. Burdelqii) 'pointed out that the four and a-haif acres was thevonly block- the ; couneil had- to offer manufacturing. jcompanies desirous of starting ,in j Levin. The deputation had. approved I of the poiiey of encouraging indUstries to-^art in the town, but where I did it suggest the couneil should Iput the factories having regard). to | the' fact that it could not taxe land | for: the purpose.' | Mr: Biaxe replied that other hi'dustries had srarted in Levin,. and jhaa purchased private land.to'do .so. If it was necessary to proyide ! land he suggested that itf'shQuld/pe,. ! further soutn than Liverpool Street. } His Worship drew .• attentipmtp; > !the fact thac people had come; to : Levin looking for sites for factories, but had- been unabie to get them., , Even if it was left to companies to ipurchase their own land, rne eouhcil j did not want them dotted- throughi out the town. He desired to make , it ciea-r that no offensive industries ; would' be allowed there, but that such would) have' to go outside the ; borough. ! Cr. a. O. Powell said- the couneil |had to make some mdve. It had land there which did not lend itself 100 per cent. to> housing, but was more suhaole for factories. No offensive factory would be pfir- • hiitted there; nor anything whieh .would' depfeciate the value of the iadjoining properties. That, he felt, ' was- the cQuncil's iutentionMr. McLeod raised the point about the appearance of - factoriies, iremarking uxat he did not thahk anyDody would' take up residence there if such- buildings' were erected. ! C'r. F: E. Parker drew attention, to i the fact tnat the factories the town

now had were adjoining houses, but he had not heard of any complaiht. Ii similar industries were obtained ; what was the difference. "We want jsomethifig badly for our. young people," ne said. We want woric for tliem here. This is the only 1 land' we own with the facilities, and j we want to ofi'er, i^jfree to suitable Ifaetories empioyingu, suitable numtber-" f .. . - His Worship pointed out to the ! deputation that the couneil. Was the jtrustee of the ratepayers as.-.a ] wnoie, and it had to have regard ito the interests of the borough as a | whole, both- for' the present and" tlie ! future. The last thing any member , or the couneil wanted to d0 . was.t9 ■harm a single resident, and tlie^'deiPUtation could have the ass'urance that the eouncil would Tefuse, to aiiow any ihdustry of an offensive nature to oecupy the land. - The deputation retired and further consideration was given the matter. The couneil then decided that it was regretiully, unable to aeeede to the wishes of the deputation, and that its original decision stand.. It was pointed out that the deputation agreed that a need existed for the development of industries, but was unable to suggest an alternative area situated -in a convenient locality which was suitaole for the purpose. It was then resolved to advertise in the four main'centres onat the^ land was available. -*?V 1 mmmm