Praise For Administrators Of Otaki Borough

Chronicle (Levin), 13 December 1949, Page 2

Praise For Administrators Of Otaki Borough

At the end of a twd-day sitting a't Otaki of the Urtoan' Farm Lahds Court, comprising Messrs A. A, McLachlan, S.M., J. T. Strand and S. T. O'Rourke, a well earned tribute was paid by Mr. Strand to the Mayor, Mr. C. F. Atmore, councillors and staff of the Otaki Borough for their capable and efficient administration in recent years. Mr. Strand, who is a former Mayor of Lower Hutt Ci'ty, recalled that in 1929 following several petitions by ratepayers for exclusion from the borough, a Royal Commission comprising the Hon. „ W. Nash, Mr. T. Brook (ValuerGeneral) and himself had been set up to review the administration and to report on the advisabil-i-ty of closing 'down the borough and Lransferring its land to the Horowhenua County. Fortunately the Commission had recommended a continuance of the borough and events ha'd shown this decision to be correct. A remarkable improvement had since taken place, he continued. The financial position was now very sound, the public debt was small and the rates compared mos't favourably with other boroughs of similar size. Considerable developmental work had taken place or was contemplated and the demand for 'bullding sites was gfeater than the supply. The borough's prospects were very bright and he congratulated the administration on achieving this result.