Mayor Urges Power Move First

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 40, 25 May 1965, Page 1

Mayor Urges Power

Move First

Discussions with the Local Government Commission had revealed that it was im possible to achieve any action on the proposals for a regional council by the local body elections this year, the Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, told Taupo Borough Council last night. He emphasised that he thought it essential to ohtain joint control of electricity distribution within the county - borough first.

Mr Story also said neither he nor the county chairman, Mr H. M. Besley, had taken any action in appointing a person to draw up legislation for the formation of a regional council. "I am unwilling to do so until the town clerk comes back from Australia," he said.

Mr Story's remarks had been directed at a letter from Taupo County Council, advising that it would support the principle of joint control of the distribution of power, and that it had adopted the recommendation of the joint meeting of May 10, supporting amalgamation. The resolutions carried at the May 10 joint meeting eame at two, (listinet, moments during the meeting. The first, early in the discussion, was: "That it be recomm-ended to councils that a case be prepared for submission to the Minister for the control of the distribution of electricity throughout the whole of the borough and county areas." Considerably later in the meeting, the joint councils agreed: "That this meeting supports the principle of a regional .council for this area and recommends to its councils that a suitable person, to be agreed upon between the mayor and county chairman, be approached to draw up proposals for the implementation of such a scheme." The county advised it had adopted the recommendations at a meeting on May 11. " Last night, after a lengthy discussion, the borough took the same step. Whai Acti Cr J. pickie asked Mr Story what action had been taken on the appointment of a person to draw up the legislation required. Mr Story reported that he and Cr R. D. Tremaine, of the county council, had met the Local Government Commission and reported to it the discussions at the joint meeting. "I gave the commission my opinion that in the first iiistaiice, we had to have authority to supply the whole area with electric power. "They agreed that would be the best move. "I pointed out, too, that I did not want to do anything until the return of the town clerk. "It was left to the county chairman and myself to investigate and suggest a person to draw up the leg-

islation. It has not got to that stage yet." Mr Story went on to say the commission normally had an investigation officer as a member of the staff. So far as the joint electricity proposals were concerned, the first thing would be a report from the electrical engineer on the technical aspects. Easily Cr G. Marlow said he had discussed the matter with the electrical engineer and he felt a case could be reasonably easily presented. The area could be shown as an electrical entity and presented to the councils and the Minister. In a question directed to Mr Story, Cr D. D. Davis said: Tactically you prefer .to pursue the electrical side first? "I would have thought that, tactically, you would need to move both proposals forward together. "If we agree to support the regional council in principle, we could get the administration and technical data on the power proposal collected by the person to be appointed to draw up legislation for the regional council. That would ensure its success. Cr C. I. Jacoby: Was that not what was agreed upon at the joint meeting? Mr Story: No. That is not what I remember. | "The commission did | point out thatv it was im1 possible to do anything between now and the end of August." Cr -Jacoby: I am still hazy. I understood you were going to appoint someone to formulate something on amalgamation we could get our teeth into — part of which would be the electricity question. "If you say we should have electricity first, surely we are wasting our time and money in asklng for a plan to be .drawn up. "That is not the impression I got at the joint meeting," Cr Jacoby added. Mr Story:- The power move can be made quickly. We could almost immedi- | ately approach the Governj ment. ! Cr C. J. N. Newbold: Do you really discard the-

thought that we would have a stronger case for the electricity under takiri g if we were a regional council — especially if we made it a condition of amalgamation? Mr Story: We did that before. Now the Minister (of Electricity) has said publicly that if anyone comes along with a practical proposal, he will have a ' look at it. "I can't see the point in amalgamation unless we have the electricity." Cr W. L. Haines: Undoubtedly the electricity side is the key one. We have that to a more advanced stage, but we could present a case for both. Cr Jacoby: That was not the impression of the joint meeting, neither wa * it the substance of the resolutions which were passed. Mr Storv: That is not the way I remember it. Cr J. M. Stanley: If we merge for the power proposals, we would have an identity that would be hard to shatter. The machinery for amalgamation will he tremendous; it would take a long while. Moral Case: Cr Newbold: While it is essential to have a joint power authority, we would have a stronger moral case if it were linked with amalgamation for a regional council. I don't suggest we should conclude the deal without a power merger. "There is value in pushing both resolutions ahead. We are going to need a strong political and economic case to convince the Government on the power question," Cr Davis said. "A regional council would be a strong factor in its favour. But, we need more than support in principle." Mr Story: We could go to the Government and it would say: "You implement a regional council and we will look at the power ! boundary changes." Cr Davis: If you change "look" to "give", it would be all right. This could be a model regional authority, carrying out all the functions of a territorial authority, Cr Haines said. ' He did not want to move I in the matter until the rej turn of the town clerk, Mr | Story emphasised. "I don't ; think it is fair," he added. "The electricity part can proceed — the sooner j the better."

The electrical engineer, Mr K. G. Stewart, said it would be a hard job to give a report on the extension of the electrical boundaries any urgency. He suggested an independent report. Mr Stewart added he would still have to provide a lot of technical data. There would, however, have to be more than that. There would have to be a careful inquiry made of the existing supply authorities and he did not think he could fairly make them himself. "I would have thought it easier to eonsider the power as a part of the whole, and, perhaps, the same person could report on both the power and the regional council proposals," Mr Stewart concluded. Integrated: Cr. Newbold: I am of the opinion that the whgle thing would be better done as an integrated project. Cr I. T. Logan moved that the council adopt the joint committee's resolution on the control of power. Mr Story: In any event, the commission, which would deal with the regional council proposal, has no jurisdiction over power. "The power must go ahead on its own. I am not saying the other has to be delayed." Cr Jacoby moved the adoption of the recommendation from the joint meeting on amalgamation of the two councils. Cr Marlow urged the implement ation of the resolution with "the greatest expedition," that at the same time allowed the best for the district. Cr Newbold: The growth of the district is such that integral planning is necessary on a rigorous basis. Cr Davis: The proposals for a regional authority supercede those for extension of the borough boundaries. This is quite unique in New Zealand because it embraces one of the biggest rural local authorities and one of the fastest growing urban local authorities. Both resolutions were carried.