TAUPO TOWN BOARD

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 20, 28 May 1952, Page 3

TAUPO TOWN BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Taupo Town Board was held on May 21, there being present, the Chairman (Mr J. Story), and the following members: — Miss K. O. Lewis, Messrs J. D. Swan, K. E. Young, W. G. Morriss and C. J. Vedder. An apology for absenee was received from Mr W. T. Irvine. A New Fishing Ground. Consideration was given to a letter from the Secretary of the Internal Affairs Department, Mr A. G. %Harper, stating that as a small number of American Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontanalis), had recently been liberated in the Hinemaiaia River above the dam for the Taupo hydro-electricity scheme; that area should be closed to anglers for at least three years, in order the fish could become established. It was decided that the totai area of the inipounded water above the dam, and a length of 2 miles upstream from there, should be closed in accordance witb the Department's request. The Town Mortuary. There has been further correspondence between the Town Board and the Waikato Hospital Board in regard to the siting and cost of the mortuary. In a previous letter the Waikato Board had implied that there would' be no objection to the morgue building being sited in the Taupo Hospital grounds. In further negotiations the Town Board had oifered to1 make a contribution to the cost on the basis of one-fourth. The Waikato Hospital Board now wrote stating that the . location of the morgue in the hospital grounds could not be approved. It was proposed however, to make a contribution of one-third of the cost of erecting it elsewhero. % After discussion it was decided the Taupo representative on the Waikato Board (Mr Andrews), be approached with a view to further negotiations on the subject. Control of Campers. In a letter to the Board Mr J. G. Fowler strongly protested against the invasion of the privacy of residents by camping parties at McKinley Bay (beyond Acacia Bay), and urged that stricter control be instituted. The Board gave sympathetic consideration to the writers complaint, and decided to refer the question of regulation to the Department of Internal Affairs, the recognised official authority. In correspondence received from the Ministry of Works it was stated that sections 11 and 12, Crown land, in the suburban area of Taupo, were being utilised for the provision of State cottages. The programme was for eleven units as a start, and even tu^lly a total of forty. Water supply, septic tank drainage, and all necessary amenities would be provided. R.S.A. ^Send - offs." In reply to a suggestion from the Taupo R.S.A. that the Board make a contribution to the cost of the local "send-offs" of men going on active service, it Was agreed that this was a matter for public patriotic effort and that the request cofild not be entertained. # Wandering Stock. The Board gave consideration to complaints received of damage to property caused by wandering stock t — especially stray horses — and decided to enforce, with due vigour, the provisions of the Impounding Act. Rates for Current Year. The rates for the current year were fixed at: — General rate, 6d. in the £; hospital rate, ld.; library rate, ld.; total 7Id. in the £. The hospital levy in Taupo for the current year is £976 15/1, as compared with. £1,153 14/5 the previous year. The A.C. Baths. With a view to reaching finality on ihe question of reconstructing the A. C. Baths, it was decided to con-

• xer with the Commissioner and the Registrar- General of Crown • Lands on Monday, May 26, in order to for-. muiate a basis for positive action. Rugby Sub-Union. The Rugby Sub-Union is to be informed that use of the Domain Ground is to be subject to payment of 10 per cent of the gate takings, that entrance tickets must be by tieke ts, and that supervision shall be exereised by the Town Clerk (Mr S. Torepe). R.S.A. Hall. The Board had before it a letter addressed by the Rev. C. G. G. Sait? of St. Andrew's Anglican Churdh, to the Taupo R.S.A. on the subject of hall accommodation and forwarded for consideration by tbe Board as trustee for the R.S.A. Memorial Hall Fund. Mr Salt submitted suggestions for a hall to be used on a Community basis. The question was discussed at some length, and it was finally decided that a public meeting be called at an early date, conjointly by the Town Board and the R.S.A., to enable the people of Taupo and surrounding districts, who contributed to the Fund, to review the position and give a lead as to future policy and action. The corn mittee of the R.S.A. is to meet rlrvs evening (Wednesday, May 28) for further discussion of the question. Works Comnuttee Report. For the Works Committee, the chairman, Mr Story, reported that general routine maintenance had been maintained during the above period ended May 21 last. Considerable work had been done on the Orchard camp area in the nature of clearing blackberry, pine logs and broom, in readiness for discing and \grading. The vast improvement in this work entailed a fair amount of the board's staffs time. With the limited men available for general work 2 men from time to time were diverted on assisting n clearing the route for the power transmission line, as well as preparing the site for treatment plant. Murupae and adjoining roads have clso entailed a good deal of work5 ^wing to the fact that they wTere badly overgrown with broom and had not been attended to for quite some time. Waipahihi Avenue has been graded and the water table has been deepmed to divert the water from; the highway. The grader has been kept on the roads as often as possible and has made excellent work on a number of streets requiring attention. The reserve in front of Mt. View Flats has been disced and it is hoped to complete this as well as other reserves, as opportunity offers. The sealing that was done last month has now been swept off the surplus chips which have been spread on adjoining roads.