TAUPO'S BOROUGH STATUS

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 82, 12 August 1953, Page 5

TAUPO'S BOROUGH STATUS

COMMISSION FINALISES SCHEME The Local Government Commission, which on June 22 last promulgated a provisional scheme for the eonstitution of the Taupo Town District as a Borough, has now finalised this procedure under date July 29. This action follows an enquiry held by the Commission at Taupo on May 26 last, Judge K. G. Archer presiding, into the petition for borough status presented to the Governor-General by the Town Board on September 3, 1951. No objections to the petition were lodged, or made at the sitting of the Commission, and the provisional scheme was then advertised by the Commission, advising that written objections to the scheme might be lodged up to July 27. No objections having been lodged the provisional scheme is now made final. In its report the Commission referred to the operation of the Town Board's hydro-electric scheme, and the fact that plans for a water supply scheme had been prepared, and stated that in its opimon the local authority should have available to lt all legislation which might assist m administration of the township as a progressiye urban unit. This reference by the Commission eovers the fact that certain powers, required by a local bodv operatmg such schemes as the Board s power scheme, are not available to a local body below the status of a borough. Among such powers are those of establishing a reserve fund, a depreciation fund, ®onsolidation oi general and other rates, establishment of renewal or replacement funds for repair or renewal of any property other than that of a trading undeitaking, and the transference of cash surpluses froni separate accounts tc the general account.