LETTER CALLS ON COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT CIVIL DEFENCE SCHEME IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 50, 29 June 1965, Page 2

LETTER CALLS ON COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT CIVIL DEFENCE SCHEME IN TAUPO

A call for urgent implementation of the Taupo Civil Defence scheme is made by a correspondent who says it is more than time the Taupo borough and county councils got the plan under way. He says. —

Sir, — - The resolution by the Taupo Citezens and Ratepayers' Association calling on the Taupo Borough Council to implement the district civil defence scheme is a sign that the^ people of Taupo are at last reajising how slow the local authorities are in getting things moving. Little good is ohtained from a paper scheme — a scheme which has incidentally been passed and approved by both the borough and county for several months now. Possibly the town clerk, Mr K. G. Winton, will be able to use the knowledge gained in his recent course in Australia to help the scheme. I think it is pretty doubtful. Maybe the county will send one of its executives and then we will wait a little longer. No one person can get the scheme moving. It is up to everyone named as section leaders to do their best. Certainly, it takes up everyone's time, but once the initial work is done, it shouldn't be that bad. There have already been efforts on the part of one or two to do their share, but unless every one gets down to the job, it is pretty ineffective. There is little point in saying "it couldn't happen here, why bother," when we already know Taupo is an area prone to earthquakes. When we had the series of earthquakes before Christmas, there was a noticeable interest by the council, but even that wasn't enough to get them out of their sluggish ways. Let us hope that the civil defence group will never be called on to operate, but if it is, lev us have an organisation that is effeetive. — Yours, etc.,

DEFENDER.

MONEY, MONEY Sir,— What a wonderful vista of prosperity for Taupo is envisaged by your Thursday's headline "Tourists spend £544 million in Taupo each year." Imagine it! 907 people every day spending £15 in our town. Approximately £2 for every head of we "natives." And this only the beginning. Lower in your page the headline "Big crowds expected for airport opening." This is surely a good omen for the prosperity of an already established trade in tourism. Taupo has a tourist potential without peer in New Zealand. Its attractions are manifold. With the extension of air lanes to North America, the establishment of international air facilities on our doorstep in Auckland and the general world increase in the "tourist" urge. Taupo cannot miss, unless — Unless we allow apathy and disinterest to slow us to such an extent that we miss the tourist bus. Can Taupo afford to do that? 1 would say, No! With £544 million achieved the sky should be our limit. — Yours, etc.,

W. J.

FOSTER.

MAORI LAND Sir, — I wish to refer you to a report in your issue of 22/6/65 on the meeting of enquiry into Maori Lands held here in Taupo on Sunday before Judge Ivor Pritchard and his associate Mr J. Waetford, wherein it reported as follows: — 'One of the major issues raised at a meeting of 90 landowners in Taupo on Sunday concerned the Taupo County CounciPs plan for reserves round Lake Taupo" etc., etc. This report is totally incorrect? as no reference whatsoever regarding the proposed reserves around Lake Taupo, as suggested by the county, was ever mentioned or discussed, as it was not in the order of reference, nor was it included in any written submission handed in by an individual member or members. Furthermore, no discussion in reference thereto has ever yet taken place among the Tuwharetoa people, consequently your report has given a false impression of the present situation and is unfair to both the county council and the Maori landowners concerned. I understand, however, that a written submission handed in after the meeting had closed did include some reference to ordinary Maori reserves, whereby exchanges could be effected between the Crown and the Maori owners. Perhaps it was this that caused the misunderstanding. — Yours, etc.,

T. A.

GRACE.