Housing, social service provision a "real problem"

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 49, 20 June 1974, Page 10

Housing, social service provision a "real problem"

Taupo needs to provide for an increasing population. Those who come here for recreation and those who live here permanently draw on our facilities. For the latter we have a real problem in making sure that we have adequate housing and the social services that go with this. I hope that with the continued effort of the Government, local bodies and private industry we can achieve some worthwhile developments in housing over the next few years. I also hope we can overcome the backlog which has been so apparent from the past reluctance of the Crown to make land available for development. I hope, too, that Maori land to the west of Taupo will also be available for worthwhile development. Last week we had the first New Zealand export award given to a Taupo firm, J. G. Groome and Associates, forestry consultants. This firm deserves not only New Zealand's commendation, but particularly that of the people of Taupo. It is an indication that Taupo can produce the best in New Zealand and can be in the forefront of new development techniques, particularly in this field of forestry, in which Taupo has a continuing interest. There are other areas in

which Taupo has played a prominent part in development. There is the use of geothermal sfeam for power and we do also have proposals for its use as a source of heat energy direct in Taupo, both for domestic and industrial use, iricluding lucerne pelleting. There is also the prob: ability of its use in rhe associated dairy companies' works in the ReporoaBroadlands area and this, too, has good possibilities for use as a direct heating fuel. The timber industry in Taupo is rapidly expanding and firms already associated with it are increasing their capacity. This will be a continuing process when the forests planted and to be planted reach maturity. For the

Taupo basin this could be on a massive scale for the decades of the future. Close by, at Rotokawa, we have the sulphur deposits and these, too, are an interesting possibility, with many possible alternatives for the use of what can be regarded as a large quantity of very high-grade sulphur by world standards. All of these industries are* in addition to what is Taupo's first industry in the eyes of most people — tourism — and this must always be preserved.