POWER LOAN PROPOSAL TO PROCEED

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 194, 14 October 1955, Page 5

POWER LOAN PROPOSAL TO PROCEED

Council Considers Objections At tlie meeting of the Bo rough Council held on Wodnosday evening, October 5, there were some 18 members oi the public present, casily tlie largest niunber ever present nl; a business meeting of the Council. It was apparent that interest centred on a letter to the Council from tlie Taupo Ratepayers' Association, dealing with the Council's* proposal to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for a loan of £105,000 to extend the generation and transmission equipment of the municipal power scheme, and on a letter of objection to the loan proposal signed by some S0 odd ratepayers. Ilis Worship the Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, presided over Councillors J. E. Barton, C. S. Currie, K. O. Lewis, W. G. Morris, J. M. Stanley, C. J. Yedder and K. E. Young. Members of the publie present were Mr J. W. Birnie, Miss A. G. Weliringo, Mr and Mrs T. M. Kent, Messrs B. Turton, H. Philpott. Bruce Bennett, L. M. Ward, R. Sinclair, G. Fraser, E. Edlin, L. E. Pearse, W. K. Ellis, R. Casson, E. Yates, P. Ford, A. P. Tierney, J. Boden. Association's Letter The letter from the Ratepayers' Association thanked the Council for its letter of August 22, relative to the power scheme, replying to the Association's letter of August 12, and continued : "First of all, we would point out with reference to your second paragraph that we at no time doubted Mr Mandeno's integrity. "In spite of your advice that the Council has the utmost confidence in Mr Mandeno's ability, we still do not share your Gouncil's opinion, and would ask that, prior to any steps being taken with regard to application for sanction for loan, the Council meet the Committee of our Association and tlioroughly discuss the matter. "We feel that. a meeting should be held between ourselves and your Council on the site. Perhaps some nienibers of the Council, like ourseU'MS, are not conversant with the plant and the site. "We formally on behalf of our Association lodge this as an objection to the proposal to apply for sanction for a loan of £105,000. "The Coinmittee very definitely dispute the statement that Mr Mancleno had not stated that Ihe second unit w itild work to ful.1 capacity at all times. This was never mentioned at fiie public meeting held in Rickit's Ha 11 on Xovember 8, 1051. To further refresh your Mayor's and Councillors' memories, we would refer you to the issues of the Daily Telegraph dated Xovember 9 and 10, 1951. We would suggest a little study of these issues by your Council. "Members of this Association listened at the last Council meeting, and the Council decided that until the report was received from Mr Mandeno they were not prepared to discuss the matter further. The Mayor's indication to the Councillors was that the Association would have plenty of opportunity to discuss the matter with the Council. "We feel that under the circumstanoes the Council could have given us a report as to what further action they proposed to take, prior to their ciecision to consider the motion. This is in the terms of the request which we made to the Council in the last paragraph of our letter of August 12, 1955." Councillors' Views Cr Morris said he did not think the reports in the Daily Telegraph referred to would have been verbatim reports, and did not think they had any bearing on the matter. The Mayor said the reports would have been biassed anyway. Cr Young thought that the utmost information should be given to the ratepayers, though not necessarily to the present Association, which he did

not think was representative. The information should be given to a public meeting, and he felt sure that 90 per cent. of the ratepayers would be in favour of the Council's proposals. The Mayor said that, as he had often said before, he did not recognise the Ratepayers' Association. They had not had a general meeting for n long time, and he thouglit they should put tlieir own liouse in order.> The Council would put their information before the public who had elected it. Public Meeting to be Held Cr Currie said that he would like to hear the matter discussed at a public meeting, and he thought that Mr Mandeno should be present. Cr Lewis said that they were put tliere by the nfaj.ority of ratepayers, and not by the small group on the Association, and he felt they were answerahle to those who elected them, not to the Association. Cr Stanley said that if tlie Ratepayers' Association were going to ihave a meeting he suggested that they should include citizens in their membership, not merely ratepayers. Cr Vedder stated that he had been informed that three people had asked at tlie Council office to see the plan of the proposed scheme accompanying Mr Mandeno's report. They had been told it was at the Mayor's place and that it would be back at three o'clock, but when they enquired later it was still not back. The Mayor explained that it had been away in order to he placed under glass so that it could be placed at the office counter for inspection. Cr Currie queried as to when a public meeting could be held to deal with the Council's proposal. It would of course first be necessary to consult Mr Mandeno as to when he could ■attend. The Council decided to defer the fixing of a date for a public meeting pendlng communication with Mr Mandeno, the Mayor stating that notice of the meeting would be given by advertisement. Loan Motion Passed Later in the meeting the motion to apply to the Loans Board for sanction to the borrowing of £105,000 for the power scheme extensions, of which notice had been advertised, was moved by Cr Barton, seconded by Cr Morris, and carried without dissent. Tiie Town Clerk then presented a letter signed by some 80 odd ratepayers, formally objectioug to the loan application. As repor.ted in full in last week's Taupo Times, the letter stated that the signatories were not satislied with Mr Mandeno's report and felt that it should be further gone into with the Ratepayers' Association. The Mayor stated that he felt that those who had presented the letter had done a great disservice to Taupo. Ilowever, the letter would be sent for ward to the Loans Board with the Council's application, and those who had signed it could be sure that all requirements of the law in that connection would be observed. He was sure that a nuiuber who had signed it had done so without realising that it was an objection to the Council's proposal. On his asking about it in a businessman's sliop he had been told that it had then been taken away by Mr Birnie. He had been told by several that they signed it because the proposed loan meant that a rate of threepence would be struck, and he had explained that that was not so. There had been no need to present the letter, for before the loan proposal went through a poll could be demanded if 5 per cent. of ratepayers asked for oue and this opportunity woul ' still be available if the Loans Board approved the loan. The letter had been instigated by a loud niouthed minority who did not represent the ratepayers, and who did r.ot know tlie meaning of democracy. They would go ahead with the scheme and he guaranteed that the Council would get the support of the majority of the people.