NAPIER HARBOUR BOARD STILL WANTS TAUPO WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 39, 20 May 1965, Page 1

NAPIER HARBOUR BOARD STILL WANTS TAUPO WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES

The Napier Harbour Board is still keen that Taupo should be included in the board's district, rather than Tauranga's, and an invitation is to be extended to the Taupo County Council to visit Napier and investigate the harbour facilities when the warmer weather and longer daylight hours return.

This decision was reached by the board this week, following the reading of a letter from the Local Government Commission suggesting minor changes to the boundaries of the Napier harbour district, particularly in reference to the Te Haroto portion of the Taupo countj^. A letter from the Taupo County Council suggested that this area be included in the Whakatane harbour district rather than the Napier district. The acting-chairman, Mr E. R. Spriggs, said that as far as the boundaries were concerned, it seemed that this minor part of the Taupo county should be in the same

position as the rest of the county. He said that as the boundaries were to be adjusted it would be opportune to include those parts of the Patangata and Waipawa counties which were not now in the harbour district. He said that the views of the two counties could be obtained and the wliole question referred to the Marine Department, and if necessary the Commission. Mr D. O. HaskeU said the Taupo county as a whole was still trying to xnake up its mind as to which district, if any, it should be in. He said Tauranga had invited the Taupo county to visit its district, but Taupo was mostly concerned as to which district could serve it best. "I think it can best be served by Napier, but the county will have to decide," he said. "We endeavoured last year to have a visit from the Taupo County Council so that they could inspect our works and talk the matter over, but it never eventuated. The idea should be revived and we should arrange the trip." Mr Spriggs said that a note would be taken of the suggestion and the trip would be arranged later when the weather was warmer and the days longer. "We did have a visit by the Taupo Chamber of Commerce, of course," he said. Mr Haskell: Yes, and that meeting was a very good one. Mr T. B. McDonald said he felt Taupo people realised they could get a better service from Napier and it did not really matter which district the county favoured. The discussion closed with a resolution that the whole matter of bringing the Napier boundaries up to date be brought to the notice of the local authorities.