Buller County Council Against Punakaiki Move to Join Grey County

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1948, Page 8

Buller County Council Against Punakaiki Move to Join Grey County

Strong objection to any move for the transfer of the Punakaiki nortion of the Buller county to the Grey county, which transfer is being nroposed by residents of the township of Punakaiki, was expressed by Cr J. H. Powell, of Charleston, at the monthly meeting of the Buller County Council yesterday, when advice on the matter was asked for b.\’ Mr P. Bridges, representing Punakaiki residents. Cr Powell said that the Buller Council should oppose the move tooth and nail. The Punakaiki Domain Board, he said, had been helped as much as was possible with grants for a hall and ground improvements. When the Buller Council wanted to do otherwork, it was opposed by some of the residents.

He said that the Clerk-Engineer, Mr C. F. Schadick, had helped in equipping a playground and in removal of the school. Another scheme, one for river protection work, had teen objected to by the chief resident of Punakaiki. Cr W. H. Mclntyre said: “That end of the county has cost us much more than we have received in revenue, and it might be a good thing if we lost it, but. on general principles, we should hold everything which we now possess”. Cr W. H. Gourley said that all benefit that had been received by Punakaihi had come from the Buller Council, in spite of the fact that most of the residents of Punakaiki were Greymouth people, who were using seaside baches there.

Mr Schadick said that an application for a change of boundaries should come from the Grev Council. Cr Powell claimed that some statements alleging that the Buller Council had made no attempt to help Punakaiki, such as that expressed by Cr Clayton, of the Grey County Council, were as misleading as one also made by Cr Clayton that the Buller did not have a Power Board. It was decided to oppose any move to change the boundaries.