COUNTY CONTROL
PROPOSED CHANGE AT PLIMMERTON
COMMISSION TAKES EVIDENCE
A Commission, over which the ..Wellington Crown Lands Commissioner (Air. G. 11. M'Clure) presided, sat at Pliinmortoii yesterday for the purpose of .holding an inquiry and making a report in resard to the proposed Plimmcrtpn. Town District Plimmerton is at present included in ihe Hutt County. .Associated with llr. M'Cluro oii the Commission was Jtr..F. A". .Martin,'district valuer. . Evidence' was taken in support'.of and in opposition to. the 'movement inaugurated ,by' some.;.'of the residents of the township Jo form a " town district there. In support of., this G7 householders .. petitioned,' ' the ' authorities. Twenty residents, however, and also, the Hutt' County Council;" lodged objections to the proposal., '. '"..'' Mr. J'. W. Graham, with him Mr. Bc'ale, appeared "for th'c.'petitioriers, 'Mr, H. P. O-'Leary for tho Hutt County Council,, Mr., J.. C... Peacock" for. the trustees of.tho Walker Estate, and Mr. Mildenhail 'for the objectors. •••'■•
Opponents of the Scheme. Evidence' Was given by G. A. Troup, a landowner at, Pliinmerton, who stated that, on account of-.the -\j\g- issues involved- at the present time, especially the deviation of'the railway and roads, it would be a mistake for a small bodyto'take such .mailers in hand, when tho Hii'tt. County' Council .could: easily .conduct them. It. .was the presentday tendency for'smaller ...bodies .'.to Amalgamate with larger bodies, and considered in this; light the present .proposal was a retrograde' one. -Another point was that- the area' proposed for settlement was 100 large for the purpose, and would not lend itself to beiiig easily handled'by a town board: of the kind contemplated. It, would cost too'much to road'a large portion of .the 'area. , The witness added that everything'reasonable was being done for the district by the Hutt County Council. "• • •' • • ' .
Mi'.. Graham differed from the witness, poinling- out-.that, the County' Council was 'not jjiw'idinj : hnyHiin? lib reason; ■able conveniences for- visitors or residents. '• ' :'•"'
Pn behalf of tho objectors to thb pro-posal,--Mr. Mildenhall-'voiced the opinion that a public, meoling should have bcoii called to discuss tho.'matter.'•• Instead of this, several residents decided to circulate, a petition in'tho district. -Should a-town,hoard be'formed, residents would havo to pay double vales—tho ■ county council and the town board rates. As •to conveniences, ihe Hntt County Council would.,erect these if, ihe residents were willing to pay for them. As a matter of fact, more money was ; being expended in Plimmerton than the amount 01 the revenue-received from the township, warranted. Another witness was'J. Walker, one of the trustees of the -estate -of the late Mr. J. A. Walker, who stated that of about 900 acres it was proposed to form into a toirii district COO acres were in the estate-which-he-was farming. A considerable area of this land near Hid railway line was swamp land, and it wa3 unsuitable for building purposes. Mr. Galloway, who has represented the district on .the Hutt County Council for 15 years, outlined the work carried out by this h'ody for Plimmerton. - As •ft councillor ho had 'always endeavoured to do as' 'much for the place us 'ho could. Incidentally, it was mtcrestimi to' note .that Plimmerton was the. only mace in.the Hutt county in which a Hunting system had been installed durin'tr the war. Tho beach had been iinder the control of the council onlv' for rbout two years'. A caretaker was 'now employed to look, after tjic beach; and, few .complaints' had been male. In .opposing'the proposal ho was convinced that many of those who signed the petition were not. aware of what a load Ihcy were placing on', their should (5'r5.,....-"!' . ..,..„.,:, "' '~. ..'..,' . ..- ..;„-. . MVas There Misapprehension? ..'.
.' — 'Aines.'_ a. permanent- resident' in the township, staled that-he sigued the petition .-.,n the understanding that a poll.,wnuld hi, taken on: the matter. Mnuv other residents also evidently signed under 'he same misapprehension.' Die sanitary arrangements of the placo were, in witness's opinion, satisfactory.
■Case for Petitioners. ■The ease for the petitioners was out- " liuctl- bv'Mr. Graham, who, stated .. that it was apparent that the government of Plimnlerton by tho • Hntt County Council was bad. The council.should not be allowed \.a have the administration of the placo any longer,' seeing that a! town board could be formed' to run tlie town'shin on a more satisfactory basis'. Ho eaye insta.ieos where iie considered tlio Mi'vicb' afforded .by the' County. Council (ell short of the requirements of. tlie residents. 'Vt present there was no local body to nut forward claims for the tin movements which were badly needed In this "Loniicptiop he touched on. the necessity for a 'post office. , Cross-examined. Air. Graham stated that'no .figures- had been prepared by tho petitioners detailing the-revenue expected, anil the anticipated expenditure. • V,- Thompson, who canvassed for-signa-tures to.'ho Petition, also.gave evidence, speaking strongly in favour of the proposal. At present he pointed out, there was no-control in-the township, and. .the sanil.irn service left room for improve-; mei.it..'; ■'• •■' • ''■■ Further evidence was tendered by the petitioners to' the-cu'e.ct that it'was impossible satisfactory- to administer the affairs of Tliimucrton from the council's office in-Wellington-25 -miles away. Thcro were now close on four hundred, permanent. residents at Plimniertoh, ; which lia'.l 100. Ion? been the "Cinderella" of the county." ' : ";' ' - -Tiro' chairman pointed out that no 'matter lioffidesirable the proposal might be. hi) could not possibly 'seo how,- oh. 'the 1 ' r.at'oa'.ihV'va'Uie of. the area 'proposed b'-lie inc'hidodV the suggested town board wrtifkl be able to pay its way." .'ln replv'tp '.thi's.'.Mr.. Grah'ani;..p.ui'ntcd'fltit Hint tlie present'rateable values-were based on an old "valuation made fully seven years ago. 'When, a revaluation was made in tho futude the rateable values would be very.-largely. increased. Thiii , would imean , that Plimnierton would return far-.,mor.e, in..the.shape, of. rates than it: did' at present- The -formation of a (own..bpard.,.would also mano for closer subdivision. - - -; - Tim Commission.adjourned; til) a date :.to be ■ fiie;l,-- in. order, to enable, the petitioners to-.prepare a. return.of the-esti-lvmtrd- annual rf-ceipts-and.■ expenditure of the '-'proposed' town board ■■■' ■■• - ■■■
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 87, 7 January 1920, Page 2
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978COUNTY CONTROL Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 87, 7 January 1920, Page 2
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