Ups and downs of lake are again broadcast on 1ZA

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 61, 1 August 1974, Page 2

Ups and downs of lake are again broadcast on 1ZA

Wherever one goes, or has been over the past six months, one is asked the question: "How is the lake level?" or "how are you looking after our power situation?" Consequently, I am sure that thousands of listeners to our radio stations 1ZA and 1ZT are more than pleased that the NZED has again agreed to the broadcasting of the lake level reading each morning. As I have mentioned before, Taupo people have been most conscientious in meeting power restrictions and have felt a responsibility because we live around the shores of the very source of much of New Zealand's power production.

We have had to face our moment of truth recently in setting our budget requirements and rates for the forthcoming year. The stampede of inflationary increases on costs

seems to know no bounds and there is no magical way of excluding Taupo from its path. Our progress over 20 years with a population of residents multiplfing almost five-fold means that we are committed to borrowing and paying for services on the highestrate of cost structure over known. There is no alterrative but to stick with the s/stem and insist on the best deal we can get in every instance. It is such a pity that we have to curtail many £>f the projects and much fli the work that we wished to push on with over the next 12 months. This particularly applies to such community imenities as improved and additional toilets for busy areas; footpath sealing and construction; Mtmorial Hall extensions and improvements; faste? roading resealing with is associated channellinj and kerbing; purchase of our own land for adiitional pensioner and ever transit housing — and soon. Our shareholdirs (or ratepayers) simpl; could not come up witl a.ll the finance necessary. We must accepfthat we are fast growing oi't of our

provclrbial clothing. CuFtural and other 'nterests suffer because ve r haven't an adequate "town hall" complex. # To rebuiAi the Memorial Hall to what would be the necessary standard that the * town deserves could cost a -V cool $500,000. That is assuming we could obtain sanction to borrow. And if the loan $ money was obtainable. And if we had the resources to repay the money! It is a forlorn thought at present. We have still got nothing off the ground towards starting a museum. Our community could do with a strong, purposeful effort by combined service 7 „ organisations or such to produce a major civic project. The fund-raising could be shared by visitors and . residents who aren't already deeply involved as « ratepayers. It is happening elsewhere. We have just received the report from the auditorgeneral's office to the effect that our annual accounts for the year ending March, 1973, are deemed a trqe state of the council's affairs. j f t - Z '