RIVAL SITES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 328, 15 September 1932, Page 5

RIVAL SITES

ROTORUA STOCK YARD BOROUGH COUNCIL DIFFERS ON PROPOSED SECTIONS I , KOUTU OR WAIROA ROAD The vexed question of the removal of the stock yard at the Rotorua station to a site on the Wairoa Road, was again the subject of discussion at last evening's meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council. Tho matter was brought up by the reading of a letter from the Hon. Adam Hamilton, Minister for Internal Affairs, in which he stated that the chairman of the Railways Board had notified him that the estimated cost of moving the cattle yards from their present position to a site on the Sanatorium reserve at a cost of £1000, was not justified in view of the decreased number of stock being handled by the railway at Rotorua. Better at Koutu Cr. E. T. Johnson considered that the estimate was rather high. In his opinion it would probably be better to endeavour to have the yard removed to Koutu, which would get the council out of all its troubles. The Mayor (Mr. T. Jackson) explained, in answer to Cr. Johnson, that wlien the Minister had been in Rotorua, representations had been made to him for the removal of the yards, and he had expressed himself in favour of the move. Cr. A. Smith moved that the council again write the Minister, pointing out that tlie council still considered the- site on the reserve. most suitable and requesting him to assist the removal. Cr. Johnson seconded the motion, but Cr. O. H. Coleman considered that the Minister for Railways should be the man approached. Crcssing Dangerous Cr. W. Galbraith considered that the yards should be at Koutu since he considered it highly dangerous to - put a railway crossing on Fenton Street. Cr. Smith objected to the Koutu site since it meant driving the eastern side cattle through part of the town, where they would damage frontages. Also they would go near the High School, causing danger to children. Cr. H. Tai Mitchell advocated alter'ng the stock route-. Cr. A. Smith did not consider that the shunting of a few trucks across Fenton Street about once a week would be half so dangerous as driving mobs of stock across the town. The Mayor pointed out that the Railways Board had a definite policy of eliminating level crossings, which was only held up through lack of finance. This matter had been diseussed at the Municipal Conference and a scheme brought down to remove these dangers by utilising un-

employed laboui*. However, the matter of the crossing did not really affect the site of the yards. The matter of access was one for the Railways Board. Finally the motion moved by Cr. Smith was put, advocating the Wairoa Road site, and was carried, Crs. Tai Mitchell and W. Galbraith recording their votes against it.